Flexible manufacturing system

ABSTRACT

A flexible manufacturing system having a feature section including at least one module, at least one operational unit mounted to the module and a local controller operatively connected to the operational unit. The local controller is adapted to receive a reference signal and to control the operation of the operational unit based upon the reference signal.

FILING REFERENCE

This Application claims priority under Title 35, United States Code119(e) from Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/179,895, filed Feb. 2,2000.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a flexible manufacturing system. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to a flexible manufacturing systemthat allows for efficient product development and line changes toaccommodate changes in product design.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Disposable and durable products such as diapers, adult incontinencearticles, feminine hygiene tampons, sanitary napkins, bandages,underpants, shirts, shorts, swimsuits, gowns, pants, coats, gloves,scarves, surgical drapes, bibs, blankets, sheets, pillow cases, mops,etc. may be manufactured on high speed converting lines. A convertingline utilizes a web-based carrier to which many source materials,whether in a continuous web or discrete pieces, are processed and/orattached to the web to create a finished product.

Although a converting line may allow for high speed production, typicalconverting lines are inflexible in that line changes are time consumingand expensive. Product development and implementation of productupgrades usually require extensive testing and construction efforts. Aproduct upgrade may, for example, require the following steps:constructing manual or handmade products incorporating the upgrade inorder to test the concept and determine consumer acceptance of such anupgrade; constructing a machine production unit that may manufacture theproduct upgrade and/or the entire product incorporating the upgrade inorder to determine product and process feasibility; constructing a highspeed test stand that may manufacture the product upgrade in isolationat high speeds in order to test the feasibility of high speedmanufacturing; constructing a prototype line that is able to makecomplete prototype products at high speeds; reconstructing a high speedproduction line to implement the process changes necessary for theproduct upgrade; and testing and debugging the production line. Theseefforts may be expensive and time consuming, especially when thereconstruction, testing and debugging steps lead to down time of a highspeed production line. Then, when a product upgrade is rolled out onmultiple production lines, the time and money required to implement evena small change in each individual line may increase dramatically. Often,the time and money required will be prohibitive, and highly desirableproduct upgrades may be delayed or even eliminated.

Attempts to increase the flexibility of a converting line have beenmade. U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,988 entitled “Modular Apparatus forFabricating an Absorbent Article,” issued to Thomas R. Herrmann et al.on Jan. 24, 1995 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,591 entitled “Modular Apparatusfor Fabricating an Absorbent Article,” issued to Thomas R. Herrmann etal. on Feb. 20, 1996, for example, describe a system for fabricatingabsorbent articles that includes a linear array of substantiallyidentical frame modules joined together. A plurality of substantiallyidentical, removable panels that support working devices are mounted toone face of the modules. The Herrmann references describe that mountingthe working devices to the removable panels facilitates rapidinstallation, servicing, adjustment of the working devices andaccommodates convenient observation of the operation of such devices.

Another attempt to increase the flexibility of a converting line isdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,899 entitled “Process Line for theProduction of Absorbent Disposable Products,” issued to Dag H. Gundersenon Feb. 9, 1999, which describes a converting line for manufacturingdisposable absorbent articles in which removable rectangular carrierplates that carry working devices are attached to vertical andhorizontal posts. The posts are arranged sequentially in a framework onthe same side of and parallel to a conveyor path movement. The Gundersenreference describes that the working devices in the converting line maybe removed from, replaced or inserted into the converting line byremoving, replacing or inserting the carrier plate to or from theframework of vertical and horizontal posts.

Although these efforts may allow for quicker physical construction orreconstruction of a converting line once the process for manufacturing anewly developed product has been developed off-line, the steps ofconstructing a machine production unit that may manufacture the productupgrade and/or the entire product incorporating the upgrade in order todetermine product and process feasibility; constructing a high speedtest stand that may manufacture the product upgrade in isolation at highspeeds in order to test the feasibility of high speed manufacturing; andconstructing a prototype line that is able to make complete prototypeproducts at high speeds are still required. Also, the lines disclosed inthe Herrmann and Gundersen references, once constructed, still requiresignificant testing and debugging time before the line may be used forproduction of products. Thus, a method allowing for quicker product andprocess development is desired. Minimizing down time due to testing anddebugging a production converting line after construction orreconstruction is also desirable.

Further, a typical product upgrade may be product-focused and includeschanging one or more particular product features. In a disposablediaper, for example, a product upgrade may include making amultiple-layer back ear extensible. On a typical diaper converting line,each layer that ultimately forms part of the back ear may be introducedinto the line, processed at various points along the line, combinedtogether and attached to a carrier web. Various other operations thatform other parts of the finished disposable diaper may be physicallyinterspersed with these operations. Thus, the operations that produce aparticular feature of the disposable diaper such as a multiple-layerback ear are located at various locations throughout the convertingline. A product upgrade that makes the back ear extensible, for example,may involve changes to multiple operations that are spread throughoutthe converting line.

In addition, the control programming that controls each operation forproducing the particular feature of the disposable product may bedispersed throughout the code for the entire converting line. Changingthe control code for the particular upgrade may often include makingchanges in many different sections of the code that control particularoperations that form the particular product feature being altered.Changes to multiple operations interspersed between operations notrelated to the product upgrade may also require changes to the controlprogramming that handles any synchronization between each of theseoperations.

Changing out particular operations in different physical locationsthroughout the line as well as tracking down and changing code sectionsthat control those operations in a program that controls the entireconverting line may be time consuming, may result in inefficientproblem-solving and may result in expensive down time of a high-speedproduction line. In contrast, however, bringing the physical operationsthat form a particular feature together and/or bringing the softwarecode sections together that control the formation of the particularproduct feature together may result in efficiencies that cut bothdevelopment time and change-over time for developing and implementing aproduct upgrade. These efficiencies may result in faster innovation, andquicker, more frequent and less expensive product upgrades.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a flexible manufacturing system having acontrol system and a physical arrangement that allows for efficient linechanges to accommodate changes in product design. The flexiblemanufacturing system includes at least one “feature section.” Eachfeature section may include all or substantially all of the operationalunits that needed to fabricate a particular product feature. Each of theoperational units of the feature section may be physically co-located inone portion of the converting line. The feature section may also have atleast one distinct control routine that commonly controls the operationof substantially each operational unit in the feature section.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the feature section maycomprise one or more modules that include all or substantially all ofthe operational units for that feature section. In a further embodiment,the modules may be standard modules that may be configured to supportdifferent types of operational units. The operational units of a featuresection may be grouped together in one or more modules that may belocated together in the converting line and may be commonly controlled.

One or more modules may be run off-line in a standalone operation, suchas for a test stand, including the one or more modules and one or morelocal controllers that may be tested, adjusted or modified to performproduct development work. In a particular embodiment, the one or moremodules may comprise one or more feature sections that each has its ownfeature local controller. The one or more feature sections may be runoff-line so that all or a portion of the operational units that comprisethe feature section may be tested, adjusted or modified until a suitableprocess for forming a new product feature has been developed. Once aprocess for forming a product upgrade has been developed off-line, themodule or modules that comprise a newly developed feature section may beinserted into a converting line or one or more modules already in theconverting line may be replaced with the module or modules that comprisethe newly developed feature section.

In an alternative embodiment, the feature section may comprise a portionof a conventional converting line or a converting line such as the onesdescribed in the Herrmann and Gundersen references. In either case, allor substantially all of the operational units for that feature sectionare preferably commonly controlled and physically co-located in oneregion of the converting line. In this embodiment, a test standincluding substantially each of the operational units that make up thefeature section may be developed so that not only the operation of eachparticular operational unit or only a few operational units may beanalyzed, adjusted and modified, but the interactions between each ofthe operational units for the particular feature section may beanalyzed, adjusted and modified. In this way, a complete prototype ofthe product feature may be assembled on the test stand.

The flexible manufacturing system of the present invention also includesa method of synchronizing the operation of the feature section with therest of the converting line. In one embodiment, the flexiblemanufacturing system may also include a central computer or a localcontroller that synchronizes the operation of the feature section withthe rest of the converting line.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing outand distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as thepresent invention, it is believed that the invention will be betterunderstood from the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified perspective view of a frame construction of amodule of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cutaway view of a base of the module frame shownin FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a simplified perspective view of two adjacent module frames tobe attached to each other and an exploded perspective view of hardwarefor attaching two adjacent module frames.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the hardware for attaching thetwo adjacent module frames shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of two paired wedges shown inFIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a simplified perspective view of the two adjacent moduleframes shown in FIG. 3 attached to each other.

FIG. 7 is a simplified front view from an operator side of one of themodules of the present invention including operational units.

FIG. 8 is a simplified side view of the module shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a simplified back view from the drive side of the module shownin FIGS. 7 and 8.

FIG. 10 is a simplified top view of the module shown in FIGS. 7–9.

FIG. 11 is a simplified perspective view of a lifting mechanism of thepresent invention with a partially cut away front corner.

FIG. 12 is a simplified view of a manifold connected to four liftingmechanisms via compressed air lines.

FIG. 13 is a is a perspective view of an embodiment of an enclosure fora sound suppression system enclosing the operator side of a module frameof the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of a raised roof enclosure.

FIG. 15 is a rear view from the drive side of a module frame of anembodiment of an enclosure for a sound suppression system enclosing thedrive side of the module frame.

FIG. 16 is a side view of the module with enclosures shown in FIGS. 13and 15.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged perspective view of an embodiment of an aluminumextruded frame shown in FIGS. 13, 15 and 16.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged view of section 18 shown in FIG. 15.

FIG. 19 is an enlarged view of area 19 shown in FIG. 13.

FIG. 20 is an exploded view of area 19 shown in FIGS. 13 and 19.

FIG. 21 is a simplified view front from the operator side of a modularconverting line of a flexible manufacturing system of the presentinvention including a cabinet support structure.

FIG. 22 is an enlarged front view of a module shown in FIG. 21.

FIG. 23A is a simplified side view of a module connected to electricpower and fluid utilities.

FIG. 23 B is an enlarged view of an area 23B shown in FIG. 23A.

FIG. 24 is a simplified front view of the panel support structure shownin FIGS. 21 and 23A.

FIG. 25 is a side view of a panel support structure shown in FIG. 24.

FIG. 26 is an enlarged view of area 26 shown in FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 is an enlarged view of a connection of two platform beams of thepanel support structure shown in FIG. 24.

FIG. 28 is an enlarged view of area 28 shown in FIG. 24.

FIG. 29 is an enlarged view of area 29 shown in FIG. 24.

FIG. 30 is a plan view of a disposable diaper which could bemanufactured using the present invention, the diaper having portions cutaway to reveal the underlying structure of the diaper.

FIG. 31 is a plan view of an alternative design disposable diaper whichcould be manufactured using the present invention.

FIG. 32 is a plan view of a disposable feminine protection product whichcould be manufactured using the present invention.

FIG. 33 is a simplified front view from the operator side of a modularabsorbent core making operation which could be used for manufacturingabsorbent disposable products.

FIG. 34 is a simplified front view from the operator side of a modularconverting operation which in conjunction with the core making operationshown in FIG. 33 could be used to manufacture the diaper shown in FIG.30.

FIG. 35 is a modified modular converting operation shown in FIG. 34which in conjunction with the core making operation shown in FIG. 33could be used to manufacture the diaper shown in FIG. 31.

FIG. 36 is a simplified top view of the modular converting operationshown in FIG. 34.

FIG. 37 is a simplified top view of the modular converting operationshown in FIG. 35.

FIG. 38 is a simplified front view from the operator side of the cuffmodule shown in FIGS. 34–37.

FIG. 39 is a simplified front view from the operator side of the chassiscombining in-feed module shown in FIGS. 34–37.

FIG. 40 is a simplified front view from the operator side of the chassiscombining module shown in FIGS. 34–37.

FIG. 41 is a simplified front view from the operator side of the sidepanel module shown in FIGS. 34 and 36.

FIG. 42 is a simplified front view from the operator side of thefastening tape module shown in FIGS. 34 and 36.

FIG. 43 is a simplified front view from the operator side of the sidenotch module shown in FIGS. 34 and 36.

FIG. 44 is a simplified front view from the operator side of the E-foldmodule shown in FIGS. 34–37.

FIG. 45 is a simplified front view from the operator side of the finalforming module shown in FIGS. 33 34–37.

FIG. 46 is a simplified front view from the operator side of the frontear module shown in FIGS. 35 and 37.

FIG. 47 is a simplified side view of the front ear module shown in FIG.46.

FIG. 48 is a simplified front view from the operator side of the backear in-feed module shown in FIGS. 35 and 37.

FIG. 49 is a simplified side view of the back ear in-feed module shownin FIG. 48.

FIG. 50 is a simplified front view from the operator side of the backear application module shown in FIGS. 35 and 37.

FIG. 51 is a simplified front view from the operator side of a modularconverting operation shown in FIG. 35 including a cross-over module.

FIG. 52 is a simplified front view from the operator side of astandalone test stand operation.

FIG. 53 is a block diagram of a standalone operation or of a featuresection that may be added to a manufacturing line.

FIG. 54 is a block diagram of a communication network showing a centralcomputer which could be used to synchronize two or more featuresections.

FIG. 55 is an example of one embodiment of a standard central computerpanel.

FIG. 56 is an example of one embodiment of a standard main controlpanel.

FIG. 57 is an example of one embodiment of a power distribution center.

FIG. 58 is an example of one embodiment of a standard adhesive panel.

FIG. 59 is a block diagram of an adhesive control system.

FIG. 60 is a block diagram of a safety lockout system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a flexible manufacturing system formanufacturing disposable, reusable and durable products. Thisapplication contains non-limiting examples of particular disposableabsorbent articles. The manufacturing principles of the presentinvention, however, may be reapplied by one skilled in the art tomanufacturing systems for the manufacture of many other types ofdisposable, reusable and durable products. Other embodiments of aflexible manufacturing system of the present invention are alsodisclosed in copending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/496,480 (P&G CaseNo. 7939) entitled “Flexible Manufacturing System” filed on Feb. 2, 2000by Vincent B. Lie et al, which is incorporated by reference in thisapplication. As used herein, the term “absorbent article” refers todevices which absorb and contain body exudates, and more specifically,refers to devices that are placed against or in proximity to the body ofthe wearer to absorb and contain the various exudates discharged fromthe body. The term “disposable” is used to describe absorbent articlesthat generally are not intended to be laundered or otherwise restored orreused as an absorbent article (i.e., they are intended to be discardedafter a single use and, preferably, to be recycled, composted orotherwise disposed of in an environmentally compatible manner). (As usedherein, the term “disposed” is used to mean that an element(s) of thediaper is formed (joined and positioned) in a particular place orposition as a unitary structure with other elements of the diaper or asa separate element joined to another element of the diaper. As usedherein, the term “joined” encompasses configurations whereby an elementis directly secured to another element by affixing the element directlyto the other element, and configurations whereby an element isindirectly secured to another element by affixing the element tointermediate member(s) which in turn are affixed to the other element.)One product that may be manufactured by a flexible manufacturing systemof the present invention is the disposable absorbent article, diaper500, shown in FIG. 30. As used herein, the term “diaper” refers to anabsorbent article generally worn by infants and incontinent personsabout the lower torso.

FIG. 30 is a plan view of a unibody diaper 500, which may bemanufactured by a flexible manufacturing system of the presentinvention, in a flat-out state with portions of the structure beingcut-away to more clearly show the construction of the diaper 500. Theportion of the diaper 500 which faces the wearer is oriented towards theviewer. As shown in FIG. 30, the diaper 500 preferably comprises aliquid pervious topsheet 504; a liquid impervious backsheet 506; anabsorbent core 508, which is preferably positioned between at least aportion of the topsheet 504 and the backsheet 506; side panels 510;gasketing leg cuffs 536; barrier leg cuffs 538; an elastic waist 514; aprimary fastening system generally designated as 516; and a secondaryfastener 517. Diaper 500 is shown in FIG. 30 to have a first waistregion 518, a second waist region 519 opposed to the first waist region518 and a crotch region 520 located between the first waist region 518and the second waist region 519. The periphery of the diaper 500 isdefined by the outer edges of the diaper 500 in which the longitudinaledges 522 run generally parallel to a longitudinal centerline 524 of thediaper 500 and the end edges 526 run between the longitudinal edges 522generally parallel to a lateral centerline 528 of the diaper 500.

A chassis 502 of the diaper 500 comprises the main body of the diaper500. The chassis 502 comprises at least a portion of the absorbent core508 and preferably an outer covering layer including the topsheet 504and the backsheet 506. While the topsheet 504, the backsheet 506, andthe absorbent core 508 may be assembled in a variety of well knownconfigurations, preferred diaper configurations are described generallyin U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,003 entitled “Contractible Side Portions forDisposable Diaper” which issued to Kenneth B. Buell on Jan. 14, 1975;U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,092 issued to Buell on Sep. 9, 1992; and U.S. Pat.No. 5,221,274 issued to Buell on Jun. 22, 1993; and U.S. Pat. No.5,554,145 entitled “Absorbent Article With Multiple Zone StructuralElastic-Like Film Web Extensible Waist Feature” which issued to Roe etal. on Sep. 10, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,234 entitled “DisposablePull-On Pant” which issued to Buell et al. on Oct. 29, 1996; U.S. Pat.No. 5,580,411 entitled “Zero Scrap Method For Manufacturing Side PanelsFor Absorbent Articles” which issued to Nease et al. on Dec. 3, 1996;and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/915,471 entitled “AbsorbentArticle With Multi-Directional Extensible Side Panels” filed Aug. 20,1997 in the name of Robles et al.; each of which is incorporated hereinby reference.

The diaper 500 may also comprise side panels 510. The side panels 510may be elastic or extensible to provide a more comfortable andcontouring fit by initially conformably fitting the diaper 500 to thewearer and sustaining this fit throughout the time of wear well pastwhen the diaper 500 has been loaded with exudates since the elasticizedside panels 510 allow the sides of the diaper 500 to expand andcontract. The side panels 510 may also provide more effectiveapplication of the diaper 500 because even if the diaperer pulls oneelasticized side panel 510 farther than the other during application,the diaper 500 will “self-adjust” during wear.

An example of a multi-piece disposable diaper 550 is shown in FIG. 31.The diaper 550 includes new features such as front ears 552 and backears 554. The front ears 552 may be constructed from any single or morethan one stock materials and may be joined to the chassis 502 by anymeans known in the art, including, but not limited to those meansrecited above. The back ears 554 may be elastic or extensible to providea more comfortable and contouring fit. The back ears 554 may beconstructed in various configurations. Examples of diapers withelasticized ears (or also known as side panels) are disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 4,857,067, entitled “Disposable Diaper Having Shirred Ears”issued to Wood, et al. on Aug. 15, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,781 issuedto Sciaraffa, et al. on May 3, 1983; U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,753 issued toVan Gompel, et al. on Jul. 3, 1990; the herein before referenced U.S.Pat. No. 5,151,092 issued to Buell on Sep. 9, 1992; and U.S. Pat. No.5,221,274 issued to Buell on Jun. 22, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,897issued to LaVon, et al. on Sep. 23, 1997 entitled “Absorbent ArticlesProviding Sustained Dynamic Fit”; U.S. patent application Ser. No.08/155,048 entitled “Absorbent Article With Multi-Directional ExtensibleSide Panels” filed Nov. 19, 1993 in the names of Robles, et al.; each ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference.

FIG. 32 shows a plan view of a sanitary napkin 560, that may bemanufactured using the present invention. The sanitary napkin 560 hastwo surfaces, a liquid pervious body-contacting surface or “bodysurface” 560A and a liquid impervious garment surface 560B. The sanitarynapkin 560 is shown in FIG. 32 as viewed from its body surface 560A. Thesanitary napkin 560 basically comprises a liquid pervious topsheet 562,a liquid impervious backsheet 564, and an absorbent core 566 positionedbetween the topsheet 562 and the backsheet 564.

Suitable materials for the various components of the sanitary napkin 560shown in FIG. 32 are described in greater detail in U.S. Pat. No.5,460,623 issued to Emenaker, et al. and in the patent publicationswhich are incorporated by reference herein. Preferably, the materialscomprising at least the topsheet and backsheet are thermoplastic. In aparticularly preferred embodiment, the topsheet 562 comprises theapertured thermoplastic film sold on sanitary napkins by The Procter &Gamble Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, under the trademark DRI-WEAVE, whichis manufactured under U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,314 issued to Radel, et al. onAug. 3, 1982, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,045 issued to Ahr, et al. on Jul.31, 1984. In one particularly preferred embodiment, the absorbent core566 comprises the absorbent core described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,623issued to Emenaker, et al. The absorbent core 566 preferably comprisesabsorbent gelling material particles. The backsheet 564 preferablycomprises a polyethylene film. Preferably, the sanitary napkin 560further comprises an optional secondary topsheet 578 positioned betweenthe topsheet 562 and the absorbent core 566.

The term “source material,” as used in this application, includes anymaterial supplied to the production machine regardless of the form inwhich it is supplied, e.g., a single layer or a multiple-layer laminate;a continuous web or discrete pieces; in a roll or in a box, etc., forthe purpose of fabricating a disposable article or part of a disposablearticle. An “element” of a disposable article includes a manipulation ofthe web or of a discrete disposable article that alters the shape and/orconfiguration of the web or the discrete article. A “component” of adisposable article, however, refers to a web or a discrete piece that iscombined with other components to form a disposable article. An element,for example, may include cutting a continuous web into discretedisposable articles, folding a discrete disposable article into abi-fold or a tri-fold configuration, etc. A component, however, mayinclude a fastening tape, a landing zone, a topsheet, a backsheet, anabsorbent core, an acquisition component, an elastic strand, etc.

A “product feature” is an element or a component of a finisheddisposable article. A product feature of a diaper such as the onedescribed above may include, for example, an absorbent core 508, a sidepanel 510, a gasketing leg cuff 536, a barrier leg cuff 538, an elasticwaist 514, a back ear 554 or a front ear 552. In a sanitary napkin, forexample, a product feature may include an absorbent core 566 or a flap579. In a pair of shorts, for example, a product feature may include awaist feature, a pocket feature, a button or zipper fly feature, a cufffeature, a hem feature, a pleat feature, etc. In a sheet, a feature mayinclude an elastic comer feature, a hem feature, etc. These examples aremeant as merely illustrative and non-limiting examples of productfeatures that may be manufactured in a flexible manufacturing system ofthe present invention.

A flexible manufacturing system of the present invention may include ahierarchy of groupings such as transformations, corrective measures,transportations, operational units, functional operations and featuresections. In this hierarchy, a “transformation” includes a single,lasting and definite change in a source material, a product, an elementor a component of a disposable article. A transformation may include,for example, nipping, ring-rolling, stretching, combining, embossing,applying, etc. A “corrective measure” includes performing a function onthe web, a raw material or a component that is temporary or is laterchanged. A corrective measure may, for example, include heating a webthat is later cooled, either through a direct cooling operationperformed upon the web, e.g., a water bath or a stream of cool air, orindirectly cooled, e.g., contact with ambient air. A “transportation”may include transporting or positioning a web, a product, an element ora component of a disposable article on a manufacturing line. Atransportation may include, for example, drawing or guiding a web,registering a component, etc.

An “operational unit” includes one or more pieces of equipment thatperform a single transformation on, a single corrective measure on, or asingle transportation of a source material, a web, a product, an elementor a component of a disposable article. A operational unit, for example,may include a pair of nip rolls, an adhesive applicator, an omega roll,an initial knife, a conveyor, etc. A “functional operation” includesmultiple operational units that transform a source material, a web, aproduct, an element or a component of a disposable article to perform aparticular function. A bonding unit that includes a glue applicator(operational unit 1) and a pair of nip rolls (operational unit 2) thatreceive a raw material web (source material 1) and transform the rawmaterial web by bonding it to another web (source material 2), forexample, performs a bonding function and comprises a functionaloperation.

A “feature section” includes one or more operational units and/or one ormore functional operations that together completely form or assemble aparticular product feature. A feature section may include each of theoperational units and/or functional operations to form a particularproduct feature such as, for example, an absorbent core feature 508, acuff feature 538, a front ear feature 552, a back ear feature 554, aside panel feature 510, an elastic waist feature 514, a fasteningfeature 516, a fold and form feature, etc. A back ear feature section Ishown in FIG. 35 that produces a back ear feature 554 such as shown inFIG. 31, for example, may include a roller system (functional operation1) that provides a raw material web from a roll to a position parallelto a main web, a cut and slip unit (functional operation 2) that cutsthe raw material web into discrete back ear components and places theback ear components on a web in the right location and a bonding unit(functional operation 3) that bonds the ear to the web. A landing zonefeature section 60 such as shown in FIGS. 7–10 and 34–37 may include anroller system (functional operation 1) that provides a landing zone rawmaterial web from a roll, a metering system for guiding the landing zoneand the backsheet webs (functional operations 2 and 3), a cut and slipunit (functional operation 4) that cuts the landing zone raw materialweb into discrete landing zone components and places these discretecomponents on the backsheet, and a bonding unit (functional operation 5)that attaches the discrete landing zone component to the backsheet.

A single functional operation such as a roller system, a cut and slipunit or a bonding unit, however, is not a feature section because itonly provides, forms or assembles a portion of a product feature of afinished disposable article. A roller system that provides a rawmaterial web from a roll to a position parallel to a main web, forexample, only provides the material to the web. That same roller systemin combination with a cut and slip unit that cuts the web into discreteside panels and places them onto a main web and a bonding unit thatcombines the side panel material with the web, however, togethercompletely assemble the side panel product feature and thus make up afeature section.

Many product upgrades seek to enhance the performance and/or theaesthetics of the product or decrease the cost of the product bychanging one or more particular product features. A diaper product, forexample, may be upgraded from a single cuff diaper having a gasketingcuff 536 to a multiple cuff diaper by adding a barrier leg cuff feature538. Alternatively, a product line may manufacture multiple differentproducts on the same line by changing one or more product features. Aline may manufacture a unibody design diaper, for example, in which theside panels are created by cutting notches in the web to create legopenings of a diaper. That same line may also manufacture a multi-piecedesign diaper such as the diaper 550 shown in FIG. 51 in which the sidepanel feature of the unibody design diaper 500 is replaced byprefabricated back ears and front ears that may be produced off-line ata significant cost savings.

If the equipment that manufactures, attaches or assembles a complete orsubstantially all of product feature is physically co-located andcommonly controlled, changing the production line to alter, replace orremove that feature from a product may significantly reduce the time andcosts required for development, testing and line changeover efforts. Inone particular embodiment, for example, each operational unit that is,or substantially all the operational units that are, used tomanufacture, attach or assemble a particular product feature may behoused in one or more modules dedicated to that feature. These modulesmay be arranged adjacent to each other in the manufacturing line and mayeven be commonly controlled.

Although it is important that substantially each operational unitcomprising a feature section be physically located in the same area ofthe line, such as within the one or more modules that comprise thatparticular feature section, it is not necessary that each operationalunit making up a particular functional operation within that featuresection be physically grouped together with the other operationalunit(s) that together form that functional operation. In the back earfeature section I example, for instance, the bonding unit may include anadhesive applicator such as an adhesive sprayer or glue nozzle that islocated upstream of the cut and slip functional operation, in betweenindividual operational units that comprise the cut and slip functionaloperation or downstream of the cut and slip functional operation. Thenip rolls that apply the pressure to bond the back ear to the web,however, are preferably located downstream of the cut and slipfunctional operation.

Module

FIGS. 1 and 2 show one embodiment of a module frame 2. The module frame2 includes a base 4 having a horizontal plate 16 and a perimetericallywelded bottom frame 18 formed from a rectangular tube 20. The horizontalplate 16 may be joined to the bottom 18 by welding, bolts, screws, pinsor any other means used in the art. The top of the horizontal plate 16may be connected to two side supports 6 by welding, bolts, screws, pins,etc. The two side supports 6 may be positioned vertically on oppositesides of the horizontal plate 16 and are generally perpendicular to themachine direction. (The term “machine direction” refers to the generaldirection in which the materials being processed move.) Each sidesupport 6 may form a welded parallelepiped construction having a crossbar 7 and four side plates 28 at the four corners of the side support 6.The two side supports 6 may be connected by a top plate 8 and twovertical plates 10 and 12 such as by using screws 44. For addedstrength, the vertical plates 10 and 12 may be connected to a crosssupport 14 which also connects the two side supports 6. The verticalplates 10 and 12 may be of equal size or may be different sizes toaccommodate different size operational units. Additionally, the moduleframe 2 may include one, two, three or more vertical plates such as thevertical plates 10 and 12 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The bottom of thehorizontal plate 16 may be divided into four regions 22 such as bywelded strips 24 for positioning a lifting mechanism 30 (described inmore detail below) in each region 22. The module frame 2 may includevarious numbers of regions 22 and/or numbers of lifting mechanisms 30depending upon the weight and distribution of the module load and thelifting capability of the lifting mechanisms 30. The lifting mechanisms30 located under the base 4 may be inflated simultaneously in order toavoid unnecessary tilting of the module and its load. For this, amanifold 130 such as shown in FIG. 12 may distribute air among thelifting mechanisms via compressed air lines 132 connected between themanifold 130 and the lifting mechanisms 30 by adjusting valves 134.Further, the base 4 may include feet 26. In one embodiment, the feet 26may be individually adjustable in order to level the module 2 and alignthe module to the rest of the converting line. The module frames may beuniform dimensions or may vary in size. In one embodiment, the width(dimension in the machine direction) may vary, for example, from about 1meter to about 2.5 meters to allow for relatively easy handling of themodule frame 2. In a particular embodiment, the width of the moduleframes 2 may be standard dimensions such as 1 meter, 1.5 meters, 2meters, and 2.5 meters in order to provide standard modules that may beused to house various sizes and numbers of operational units, and thatmay limit the number of modules that need to be kept in an inventory toallow for exchange of any module in the converting line.

The term “module” refers to a single and physically independentcontainer that may contain one or more operational units to allow theone or more operational units to be moved within a flexiblemanufacturing system of the present invention. The one or moreoperational units function inside the module such as by manipulating,transforming or temporarily changing a source material in a designedsequence of a manufacturing process. The module 60 illustrated in FIGS.7–10, for example, contains the following operational units attached tothe front of the vertical plates 10 and 12: two unwinds 62 and 64 forunwinding a landing zone material 66; two omega rolls 68 and 70 formetering the landing zone source material 66; an automatic splicer 72for splicing the landing zone material 66; a dancer 74 for maintaininggenerally equal tension in the landing zone material 66; an omega roll76 for feeding the landing zone material 66; a tracking device 78; anadhesive applicator 80 for applying adhesive on the landing zonematerial 66; an idler 82 and a turning bar 84 directing a backsheetmaterial 86; an omega roll 85 for metering the backsheet material 86;and a tracking device 88 for tracking the backsheet material 86 into acutting device 90. The backsheet material 86 may be fed from a reel 92located on a side of the landing zone module 60 as shown in FIG. 36.

Some of the operational units, such as heavier ones, may be attached tothe horizontal plate 16 or to both the horizontal plate 16 and one ormore of the vertical plates 10 and/or 12. Cutting device 90, forexample, is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 connected to both the horizontalplate 16 and the vertical plate 12. The cutting device 90 may, forexample, cut landing zone source material 66 and apply it onto abacksheet material 86. In addition, the module 60 may contain a conveyor94 for conveying a combined material 96 that passes through the module60 from the upstream operations to the downstream operations on theproduction line (from right to left in FIG. 7).

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, electric motors, such as servo motors, dcmotors, ac vector drive motors, etc., for driving the operational unitsmay be attached to the back of the vertical plates 10 and/or 12. A“servo motor” may include a digitally controlled position servo motorand/or a digitally controlled velocity servo motor. A position servomotor is an electric motor controlled by regulating the position of anoperational unit relative to a position of a reference signal and/orrelative to a position of a product or a web. A velocity servo motor isan electric motor controlled by regulating the velocity of anoperational unit relative to a velocity of a reference signal and/orrelative to a velocity of a product or a web. Referring to FIGS. 8 and9, the motors shown attached to the back of the vertical plates 10 and12 are: motors 98 and 100 for the omega rolls 68 and 70, respectively;motor 102 for the omega roll 76; motors 104, 106, and 108 for thecutting device 90; motor 110 for the omega roll 85; and motor 112 forthe conveyor 94.

A module may be moved by means of lifting mechanisms 30 inserted underthe base 4 as shown in FIGS. 1–2. The lifting mechanisms 30 may be usedfor smooth movements of loads over gaps in the floor surface by creatinga cushion of air between the floor surface and the lifting mechanisms 30supporting the lifted module. FIG. 11 illustrates the function of thelifting mechanism 30 supporting a load on a chamber plate 120.Compressed air or any other fluid may be pumped into a circular bag 122which when inflated seals against the floor surface. (The term “air”used herein refers to any combinations of gases, including but notlimited to atmospheric air.) When the air pressure in a chamber 124exceeds the weight of the load located on the chamber plate 120, airgenerally slowly and evenly escapes between the circular bag 122 and thefloor surface creating a cushion of air about 0.003 to 0.005 inchesthick. The module floats on the cushion of air and may be moved aroundthe floor for the purpose of arranging and/or re-arranging theproduction line. A suitable lifting mechanism may be GAPMASTER™Aero-Caster manufactured by AeroGo, Inc., 1170 Andover Park West,Seattle, Wash. 98188-3909. The combined load capacity of four liftingmechanisms, for example, may be about 28,000 pounds for a 2.5 meter widemodule. The ability to move the module may add flexibility to theflexible manufacturing system and allow for a change in a manufacturedproduct in a more efficient manner.

After a module has been moved into a position adjacent to anothermodule, the modules may be connected to each other at their respectiveside supports 6 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. In one particular embodiment,the side supports 6 may be substantially identical for each module. Inthis embodiment, the modules may be positioned with a space, such as a20 mm space, between them in the machine direction, and a spacer 36 or aset of one or more wedges 32 and 34 may be inserted in the space createdbetween the modules. The wedges 32 and 34,if used, may allow for easierinsertion into the space between the module frames, especially, when amodule frame is positioned between two other module frames. A pin 38 andtwo bolts may be inserted through the wedges 32 and 34 or through thespacer 36 and the corresponding side plates 28 of each of the connectedmodule frames 2 and 50. An enlarged view of the exemplary connectors isshown in FIG. 4, and a separated view of the exemplary pair of wedges 32and 34 is shown in FIG. 5. The bolts may be tightened with nuts toensure a tight connection of module frames 2 and 50 as they are shown inFIG. 6. In one embodiment, one module may be joined to another module attwo or more of the four corners of the side supports 6 because two ormore pins may provide the alignment of the connected modules. The spacer36 may be used on one side of the module and wedges 32 and 34 may beused on the opposite side of the module. In one embodiment, the modulesmay be positioned in a linear fashion along the machine direction,however, the modules may be positioned in any other arrangement. Forexample, modules may be arranged perpendicular to the machine directionand may assemble one or more product features and feed the productfeature(s) into the manufacturing line. The system for aligning themodules including one or more of the wedges 32 and 34, the spacer 36,the pins 38 and the bolts described above is only one embodiment. Otherknown means of connection and alignment may be used within the scope ofthe present invention.

Enclosure devices may be provided to suppress the noise level in thevicinity of the manufacturing line. FIG. 13, for example, shows aperspective view of one embodiment of an operator side enclosure 140 anda flat roof enclosure 141 both enclosing the operator side of the moduleframe 2. The operator side enclosure 140 includes a door supportstructure 142 comprising two end posts 144 and 146 attached to theopposite distal comers of the horizontal plate 16 of the module frame 2and a mid post 148 located between the end posts 144 and 146. Each post144, 146 and 148 is attached to the horizontal plate 16. The end posts144 and 146 may be attached to the horizontal bars 150 and 151,respectively, and the mid post 148 may be attached to the horizontal bar149. The operator side enclosure 140 may also include two doors 152 and154 pivotally attached to the end post 146 and the mid post 148,respectively.

FIG. 15 shows a rear view of one embodiment of a drive side enclosure160 enclosing the drive side of the module frame 2. The enclosure 160includes two doors 162 and 164 each one pivotally attached to the twoopposing side supports 6 of the module frame 2.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the operator side doors 152,154 and the drive side doors 162, 164 may be assembled from acommercially available aluminum extrusion frame 166, shown in anenlarged perspective view in FIG. 17. The aluminum extrusion frame 166may include oppositely located slots 168 suitable for inserting a spongeextrusion seal 170 on one side of the aluminum extrusion frame 166 and aseal 172 enclosing a transparent polycarbonate sheet material 174 on theother side of the aluminum extrusion frame 166. The transparentpolycarbonate sheet 174 may be of a thickness from about 6 mm to about12 mm of Lexan, Makrolon or any other brand. The aluminum extrusionframe 166 and the corresponding seals 170 and 172 may be purchased fromItem Industrietechnik and Maschinenbau GmbH of Germany. To all surfacesopposing the doors, a self adhesive gasket 176 may be adhesivelyattached, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18. The self adhesive gasket 176 maybe purchased from Clean Seal Co. of South Bend, Ind.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 15, the operator side doors 152 and 154 and thedrive side doors 162 and 164 may include panel boxes 180, 182 and/or 184for accepting various control devices described in more detail below.For example the box 180 may be used for an operator interface, the box182 may be used for a vision system monitor, the box 184 may be used fora junction box such as an electrical junction box or an adhesivejunction box, etc. The number and the type of panel boxes may vary. Thepanel boxes may be pivotally attached to the door frame 166 as shown inFIG. 13 for the panel boxes 180 and 182. The pivotal arrangement enablesan operator or maintenance personnel to view the pivoted control devicewhen the door is open for accessing the machine. The self adhesivegasket 176 shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 may be adhesively attached to thepanel boxes to insure a tight seal around the perimeter of the panelboxes. Other control devices such as an electrical disconnect switch oran air dump switch may be attached directly to the transparentpolycarbonate sheet 174 through seals 185 and 186, respectively, asshown, for example in FIG. 20. The seals 185 and 186 enclose openings188 and 190, respectively, from both sides of the transparentpolycarbonate sheet 174. The operator side doors 152 and 154 and thedrive side doors 162 and 164 may be of about the same length as thecorresponding module which, for example, may vary from about 1 meter toabout 2.5 meters in about 0.5 meter intervals.

Other sound suppressing enclosures may include roof enclosures forenclosing the top of the operator side of the module frame 2. Oneembodiment of a roof enclosure 141 is shown in FIG. 13. In thisembodiment, two roof elements 192 may be positioned on a roof platform191. In another embodiment shown in FIG. 14, a raised roof enclosure 193may include roof elements 192 located on a platform 194 to create openareas 196 for supplying material webs, optionally, from the operator orfrom the drive sides of the manufacturing system, or from above themanufacturing system. (The modules may be configured so that materialwebs can be received from either the operator or the drive side of themodule, or from above the module. Rotating a turning bar 180 degrees,for example, may be all that is necessary to change from one side toanother side. Each material delivery option may offer a differentadvantage. Having the materials on the operator side consolidates anoperator's work to one side of the machine. The operator may load thematerials and monitor the production process more effectively with thisarrangement. Locating the materials on the drive side may permitinstallation in manufacturing plants with narrowly spaced buildingcolumns. Having the materials stored above the modules may also conservefloor space in the manufacturing system.) The front opening 196 may beclosed by an acoustic absorbent foam 200. The side openings 198 may beclosed by an acoustic absorbent foam 201. The roof element 192 mayinclude an acoustic absorbent foam 202 attached to a steel sheet 204.The foams 200–202 may be about 50 mm thick and protected by a perforatedsteel sheet or a fabric or any other suitable means. For example, theacoustic foams 200, 201 and 202 may be a melamine foam purchased fromIllbruck Co. of Minneapolis, Minn. The roof enclosures 141 and 193 maybe of about the same length as the corresponding module.

Still another sound suppressing enclosure may include a base enclosure210 shown in FIGS. 16 and 18. The base enclosure 210 may include a densecontainment layer 212 built of sheet steel and an acoustic absorbentfoam 214, similar to the foams 200–202 above, and similarly protected byperforated sheet steel or a fabric or any other suitable material. Thebase enclosure 210 may be inserted under the module frame base 4. Thecontainment layer 212 is formed along one edge to create a vertical wall216 which may be attached to the module frame base 4, thus closing offthe space between the floor and the module frame base 4. The verticalwall 216 may be attached to only one module in order to ensure that whenthat module is removed, the neighboring base enclosures are notdisturbed. Each module may have at least two base enclosures 210inserted under the module frame base 4 from two opposite sides,preferably from the operator side and from the drive side. There may bea soft compliant synthetic rubber seal for closing the gap between theat least two opposite base enclosures 210. The base enclosure 210 may bethe same length as the corresponding module.

Further, end barriers may be used to close a side of a module when theend of the module is exposed at the end of a series of modules. The endbarrier may be constructed similar to the roof element 192.Alternatively, if the side of the module needs to be visible, the endbarrier may be constructed similar to the operator side doors 152 and154 and drive side doors 162 and 164 with large transparentpolycarbonate sheets 174 as shown in FIG. 13.

Finally, the above enclosures may be complemented with absorbent baffles220 suspended inside the operator side or the drive side of the modulewhen additional localized sound suppression is needed. The absorbentbaffles 220 may be constructed of an acoustic foam 222 enclosed in aframe 224 including perforated sheet steel. Alternatively, the acousticfoam 222 may be enclosed by a protective fabric or any other suitablematerial. The absorbent baffles 220 may be suspended by hangers 226constructed of any suitable material.

Control Structure

A flexible manufacturing system of the present invention may include atleast one feature section and a control system that controls theoperation of the one or more operational units of the featuresection(s). An individual operational unit may include one or moremotion elements, such as a motor, and/or one or more logical devices,such as a valve, solenoid, relay, gate, sprayer, nozzle, switch, light,lamp, etc. The control system may control the operation of one or moreindividual operational units and/or synchronize or coordinate theoperation of the individual operational units to the rest of theflexible manufacturing system.

The control system may include “local control functions” and “globalcontrol functions.” A “local control function” refers to a function thatis specific to the control within a particular feature section. A localcontrol function, for example, may include motion, drive or logiccontrol of individual operational units within a specific featuresection. “Motion control,” as used in this application, refers toposition control of one or more motors or profiled motion control of oneor more motors such as camming or trajectory control. “Drive control”refers to continuous velocity and position control of one or moremotors. “Logic control” includes using one or more logic functions tocontrol the actuation of a logical device. A “logic function” mayinclude, for example, combinational logic functions such as “if thenelse” functions, sequence functions, “jump to subroutine” functions,timer counter functions, etc. A local motion/drive control function, forexample, may include controlling the velocity and/or position of a motorin a feature section. A local logic control function may include, forexample, using logic functions to control the starting or stopping of anoperational unit within a feature section, or actuating a solenoid, areject gate or a safety disconnect switch within a feature section.

A “global control function” refers to a control function that pertainsto synchronizing or coordinating a local control function for aparticular feature section to the remainder of the flexiblemanufacturing system. A global control function may synchronize orcoordinate a local control function to the remainder of the flexiblemanufacturing system, for example, by informing the local controlfunction of an event that occurred outside of the feature section, or byproviding the local control function a reference signal that may be usedby the local control function to synchronize or coordinate the operationof an operational unit within the feature section to the remainder ofthe flexible manufacturing system. A global control function mayinclude, for example, a global motion, drive and/or logic controlfunction that synchronizes or coordinates the operation of a localmotion, drive and/or logic control function within a feature sectionwith the operation of the rest of the flexible manufacturing system, aglobal start/stop logic control function that synchronizes orcoordinates a local stop or start control function with the starting orstopping of the rest of the flexible manufacturing system, a globalreject logic control function that synchronizes or coordinates a localreject logic control function with the rest of the flexiblemanufacturing system, or a global safety disconnect logic controlfunction that synchronizes or coordinates a local safety disconnectlogic control function with the rest of the flexible manufacturingsystem.

A global motion/drive control function that synchronizes or coordinateslocal motion/drive control functions is one example of a global controlfunction. In one embodiment, for example, a global motion/drive controlfunction may synchronize the local motion/drive control functions byproviding a velocity and/or position reference signal to a localmotion/drive control function that, in turn, controls a motor based uponthe reference signal such as by a feedback or feed-forward controlsystem. The reference signal may, for example, provide a velocity and/orposition reference such as a digital or analog signal that ranges inamplitude, phase angle and/or frequency proportionately with the desiredvelocity and/or position of the overall flexible manufacturing system orof a product for synchronizing the local motion/drive functions with theoverall operation of the flexible manufacturing system. This referencesignal may be based upon a mechanical reference, such as a traditionalmaster drive motor or mechanical line shaft, to which the velocityand/or position of motors within one or more feature sections may bematched. Alternatively, the reference signal may be a “virtual” orelectronically generated reference signal that is generated by theglobal motion/drive control function and provided to the localmotion/drive control functions to control particular motors within theflexible manufacturing system. A virtual reference signal may begenerated by solid state electronic hardware and/or software that may beimmune from mechanical disturbances such as backlash or friction.

A global logic control function may also coordinate the operation oflocal logical control functions. A global logic control function may,for example, provide start and stop signals to local logic controlfunctions to coordinate the local logic functions to the rest of theflexible manufacturing system. A global logic control function may alsoprovide a logic reference signal that allows the local logic controllersto control the timing of logical device operation to the rest of theflexible manufacturing line. Alternatively, a local logic controlfunction may utilize the velocity and/or position reference signalgenerated by a global motion/drive control function as described above(or, a local motion/drive control function may utilize the velocityand/or position reference signal generated by a global logic controlfunction). In one embodiment, for example, the global logic controlfunction may provide a digital or analog signal that may range inamplitude, phase angle or frequency proportionately with the desiredvelocity and/or position of the flexible manufacturing system or of aproduct for coordinating the local logic control function with theoperation of the rest of the flexible manufacturing system. As describedabove with respect to the global motion/drive control function, thelogic reference signal may be based upon a mechanical reference or avirtual reference.

As described above, a flexible manufacturing system of the presentinvention may include one or more feature sections. In one particularembodiment, for example, one or more of the feature sections may becontrolled directly by a local feature control function. In thisembodiment, the local feature control function may utilize a referencesignal provided by a global control function to coordinate the operationof at least one motor and/or one logical device of the feature sectionto the remainder of the flexible manufacturing line. In a particularlypreferred variation of this embodiment, the flexible manufacturingsystem includes at least two independent feature sections that eachinclude a local control function that is adapted to directly controlmotors and logical devices for that feature section and to synchronizeor coordinate those motors and logical devices to the rest of theflexible manufacturing system by utilizing one or more referencesignals. In another variation, the local control function of eachfeature section may be adapted to directly control the motors andlogical devices for that feature section in either a standalone mode orin the event that the feature section is integrated into an overallconverting line.

The global control functions and local control functions may beperformed by or reside in a central computer, a local controller or acombination of a central computer and one or more local controllers. Inone embodiment, the control system may include a central computer thatperforms global control functions and one or more local controllers thateach perform local control functions for a particular feature section.In FIG. 55, for example, exemplary global control functions and localcontrol functions are depicted in the form of a block diagram. In thisembodiment, the global control functions reside in the central computer336, which may comprise software and/or hardware to perform globalcontrol functions such as a global motion/drive control function 916and/or a global logic control function 918. Examples of a global logiccontrol function include a global operator interface control function920, a global start/stop control function 921, a global reject controlfunction 922, and a global safety disconnect function 923. The localcontrol functions may reside in feature local controllers, such as 1108and 1110, which may comprise software and/or hardware to perform localcontrol functions such as a feature local motion/drive control function1150 and/or a feature local logic control function 1152. Examples of alocal logic control function include a feature local operator interfacecontrol function 1154, a feature local stop/start control function 1156,a feature local reject control function 1158 and a feature local safetydisconnect feature control function 1160. In another embodiment, thecentral computer may perform both the global control functions and thelocal control functions for controlling the operation of one or morefeature sections. In this embodiment, the central computer may comprisean integrated platform with local control software distributed on a perfeature basis, i.e., the software performing the local control functionfor at least one feature section may comprise a separate control routineor data block. Although the separate control routine or data block mayinclude calls to shared subroutines or may include shared data, theseparate control routine or data block preferably includes at least oneportion that is distinct to a particular feature section so that thecontrol routine or data block for that feature section may be easilylocated in the event that the feature section is modified, moved within,added to or removed from the flexible manufacturing system. In yetanother embodiment, the control system may include two or more localcontrollers without a central computer. In this embodiment, the localcontrollers each perform the local control function for a particularfeature section. In addition, one or more of the local controllersperform the global control functions for the overall flexiblemanufacturing system as well as the local control functions for aparticular feature section.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 54 and 55, for example, the centralcomputer 336 may perform the global motion/drive control function 916that synchronizes the operation of local motion/drive control functions1152. In this embodiment, the central computer 336 may provide areference signal that a local motion/drive controller may use tosynchronize one or more motors that the local motion/drive controller iscontrolling. A “motion/drive controller” refers to amicroprocessor-based system that controls the current, velocity and/orposition of one or more motors. A motion/drive controller may alsosynchronize the operation of one or more motors such as by utilizing areference signal provided by a global motion/drive control function. Themotion/drive controller may, for example, control the velocity and/orposition of a servo motor, a dc motor, an ac vector drive motor, etc. Amotion/drive controller may also be capable of being integrated into anetwork of motion/drive controllers that synchronize one or more motorsto a master machine velocity and position. The central motion/drivecontroller 916 may directly control individual motors in a flexiblemanufacturing system or may provide a velocity and/or position referencesignal over a network to one or more local motion/drive controllers.Each local motion/drive controller, such as local motion/drivecontrollers 1062 and 1064, may utilize the reference signal tosynchronize the motor(s) that it directly controls to the rest of theflexible manufacturing system. The central motion/drive controller 916may, for example, include a master motion/drive reference 924 and amotion/drive control signal converter transmitter 926. The mastermotion/drive reference 924 may provide a reference signal that may beused to synchronize the operation of a feature section to the rest ofthe flexible manufacturing system. The master motion/drive reference 924may be connected to a central motion/drive control signal convertertransmitter 926 by a motion/drive reference link 1112 and to a centrallogic controller 928 by a motion/drive reference link 1114. Themotion/drive reference links 1112 and 1114 may, for example, be variablefrequency, phase angle and/or amplitude links. The central logiccontroller 928 may be connected to a central operator interface 920 by anetwork link 1116.

The global motion/drive control function may generate a virtualreference signal via solid state electronic hardware and/or software,which may be immune from mechanical disturbances such as backlash and/orfriction. In one embodiment, the master motion/drive reference 924 mayprovide a virtual reference velocity and/or position signal forsynchronizing the operation of a feature section to the rest of theflexible manufacturing system. The master motion/drive reference 924may, for example, serve as an electronic encoder or resolver simulatorand produce a signal comprising a series of pulses having a frequencythat is relative to the desired velocity and/or position of theproduction line. The pulses may be configured in quadrature such thatthe master motion/drive reference signal is multiplied by four to obtaina higher resolution and accuracy. The pulses may also be converted intoa serial format and transmitted over a network via a serial link tomultiple local motion/drive controllers.

In one embodiment, the central computer 336 may include a velocity inputpreprogrammed into the central computer 336 or may accept a velocityreference input from the central operator interface 920 via the centrallogic controller 928 or from one or more of the local feature operatorinterfaces such as 1070 and 1072. In this embodiment, the centralcomputer 336 may convert the velocity reference input into an inputsignal to the master motion/drive reference 924 using an algorithm inthe central logic controller 928. Further, the central computer 336 mayvary the input signal provided to the master motion/drive reference 924or other master machine reference hardware. The algorithm, for example,may vary the input signal provided to the master motion/drive reference924 while the machine is moving so that the line can ramp up and down topredefined set points pre-programmed in the central computer or enteredby the operator on an operator interface 920.

In an alternative embodiment, the master motion/drive reference signalmay originate from a master drive motor or from a mechanical line shaft.In one embodiment, the master motion/drive reference signal may beproportional to the velocity and/or position of a master drive motor ora mechanical line shaft in the flexible manufacturing system. Thecentral computer 336 may, for example, receive a motor reference signalsuch as from an encoder or a resolver mounted on the master drive motoror the mechanical line shaft. The motor reference signal may then beconverted to or used as a master motion/drive reference signal anddistributed via a network such as the motion/drive control sub-network1126. A local motion/drive controller, such as the first feature localcontroller 1062, may use this master motion/drive reference signal tocontrol the velocity of drive motors in that feature section. Anexemplary control signal that may be generated as the mastermotion/drive reference signal is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,988entitled “Modular Apparatus for Fabricating an Absorbent Article,”issued to Thomas R. Herrmann et al. on Jan. 24, 1995, which isincorporated by reference in this application.

A “logic controller” refers to a microprocessor-based system that useslogic functions to control the actuation of and/or synchronization oflogical devices such as solenoids, relays, valves, gates, sprayers,nozzles, switches, lights, lamps, etc. In one embodiment, a logiccontroller may be capable of being integrated into a network of logiccontrollers to pass information for the purpose of integrated logiccontrol. The central logic controller 928 may directly controlindividual logical devices in a flexible manufacturing system and/or mayprovide a reference signal to a network of feature local controllers,such as feature local controllers 1108 and 1110, that directly controlthe logical devices of the operational units within features of theflexible manufacturing system. The global logic function 918 may beperformed by a central logic controller 928. The central logiccontroller 928 may generate a velocity and/or position reference frompre-defined set points programmed into the central logic controller orfrom an operator interface, such as the central operator interface 920,and control the reference via software in the central logic controller928. The central logic controller 928 may be integrated into a logiccontrol network 1124 with the first and second feature local logiccontrollers 1066 and 1068, respectively, by logic control network links1052 and 1056. A standard series of software steps that performsfunctions such as logic control and information processing may beintegrated in the logic controllers. In one embodiment, for example, thecentral and/or local feature logic controllers may include aprogrammable logic controller (“PLC”) in which a standard series ofsoftware steps that perform control functions and information processingare integrated into the PLC. In another embodiment, however, the centraland/or local feature logic controllers may include a personal computer(“PC”), a mainframe, a micro computer or a mini computer in whichflowchart programming techniques may be utilized to perform controlfunctions and information processing.

The central logic controller 928 may function as a network systemintegrator. Information generated in one or more of the feature localcontrollers 1108 and/or 1110 may be passed to the central computer 336via a digital or analog network. The central logic controller 928 mayintegrate the starting and stopping of one or more feature sections bytransmitting signals to and from the one or more feature section localcontrollers over the network. In addition, the central logic controller928 may also control a power distribution system and/or integratedsafety systems via the network. Further, the central logic controller928 may monitor and control utilities for supporting operational units,such as adhesive tanks, vacuum systems, compressed air, glycol, etc. Thecentral logic controller 928 may also accumulate production datainformation, such as a number of products made, a mean time betweenfailure, a line efficiency, etc., and display the information on themain operator interface or transmit the information to the individualfeature local controllers.

The central computer 336 may include multiple hardware components thatperform distinct control functions, or may comprise a singlemulti-function computer to perform some or all of the various controlfunctions. The central computer may, for example, include a combinationof a an Encoder Signal Reference Simulator (ESRS) manufactured byRockwell International and a programmable logic controller such as a1785-L40C PLC-5 manufactured by Rockwell to perform the globalmotion/drive control function 916. Alternatively, the central computermay include a programmable logic controller (“PLC”) to perform theglobal logic control function 918, and a personal computer (“PC”) toperform the global motion/drive control function 916. In thisembodiment, for example, either the PLC or the PC may perform the globaloperator interface function 921. Alternatively, the central computer 336may include a single multi-function computer system such as a personalcomputer, mainframe, microcomputer, mini-computer, etc. that performseach of the global motion, drive and logic control functions, and theglobal data collection and reporting function.

In addition, the various pieces of hardware that may comprise thecentral computer 336, may be housed in a single panel or may includemultiple components in different panels that are located adjacent toeach other or distributed throughout the manufacturing system. In oneembodiment, for example, the panel that houses a central motion/drivecontroller may be located close to a master drive motor or a mechanicalline shaft if one of these methods of creating a master motion/drivereference signal is used, while the panel that houses the central logiccontroller may be located in another panel somewhere else along theflexible manufacturing system. The central computer 336 may be housed inone or more control panels such as the central computer control panel914 shown in FIG. 55. The central computer control panel 914 that housesthe central computer 336 may be located on the panel support structure240 such as shown in FIG. 21 or in another area of the flexiblemanufacturing system.

Each feature section may include one or more modules and a feature localcontroller. A feature local controller may include a feature localmotion/drive controller and/or a feature local logic controller. FIG.54, for example, shows a simplified view of one embodiment of a flexiblemanufacturing system of the present invention including a control system1090 for two feature sections 1078 and 1080. For ease of illustration,FIG. 54 depicts only a central computer 336 and two feature sections1078 and 1080. A flexible manufacturing system of the present invention,however, may include one, two, three or more feature sections. In theflexible manufacturing system shown in FIG. 54, the first featuresection 1078 includes first and second first feature modules 1082 and1084, respectively, and the second feature section 1080 includes onesecond feature module 1086. In this embodiment, the control system 1090preferably includes a central computer 336, and first feature and secondfeature local controllers 1108 and 1110 for controlling the operationalunits of the first and second feature sections 1078 and 1080,respectively. The first feature local controller 1108 may include afirst feature local motion/drive controller 1062 and/or a first featurelocal logic controller 1066. The second feature local controller 1110may include a second feature local motion/drive controller 1064 and/or asecond feature local logic controller 1068. The first feature localcontroller 1108 and/or the second feature local controller 1110 may alsoinclude a local operator interface such as 1070 and 1072.

Each module may comprise one or more operational unit(s): the first andsecond modules 1082 and 1084 of the first feature section 1078 maycomprise a first feature section first operational unit 1092 and a firstfeature section second operational unit 1094, and the module 1086 of thesecond feature section 1080 may comprise a second feature sectionoperational unit 1096.

Each operational unit may comprise one or more motor(s) and/or one ormore control device(s). (The term “control device” as used in thisapplication refers to devices such as a solenoid, a photo eye, aproximity switch, a temperature sensor, a relay, a small AC motor fordriving a web tracking mechanism, or any other control device known inthe art.) The first feature section operational units 1092 and 1094 maycomprise first feature section motors 1057 and 1058, and first featuresection control devices 1073 and 1074. Similarly, the second featuresection operational unit 1096 may comprise a second feature sectionmotor 1060 and a second feature section control device 1076.

The first and second feature local controllers 1108 and 1110 may beintegrated into a network with the central computer 336. The network mayinclude, for example, two sub-networks: a motion/drive controlsub-network 1126 by which the central motion/drive controller 916 isconnected via links 1128 and 1142 to the first feature and secondfeature local motion/drive controllers 1062 and 1064, respectively, anda logic control sub-network 1124 by which the central logic controller928 is connected via links 1052 and 1056 to the first feature and secondfeature local logic controllers 1066 and 1068, respectively. Theinformation transmitted over the motion/drive control sub-network 1126may, for example, represent the distances that the master drive encoderor a virtual master drive encoder has moved. Information transmittedover the logic control sub-network 1124 may, for example, includemachine set points, product quality information, machine status and runcondition, etc.

As described above, a feature section includes one or more operationalunits. Each operational unit may include at least one motor and/or atleast one logical device. In one embodiment of the present invention,the motor may be an independently-driven servo motor. In thisembodiment, the velocity and position of operational units need not bephased by a common mechanical line shaft. There may be no mechanicalcoupling between the operational units, and the velocity and position ofthe operational units may be synchronized by the feature localcontroller with respect to a common positional and/or velocityreference. The source of the common reference may be any of the mastermotion/drive references described above.

The motion/drive controllers may be connected to one or more servomotor(s). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 54, for example, the firstfeature local motion/drive controller 1062 may be connected with theservo motors 1057 and 1058 of the first and second modules 1082 and 1084of the first feature section 1078 by power and feedback cables 1118 and1120, and, similarly, the second feature local motion/drive controller1064 may be connected with the servo motor 1060 located in the module1086 of the second feature section 1080 by power and feedback cables1122.

A motor motion/drive control system may include, for example, one ormore of the following component(s): a feature section motion/drivecontroller; an electric motor such as a servo motor, a dc motor an acvector drive motor, etc.; and/or an electric motor position feedbacksensor such as an encoder or a resolver. The feature sectionmotion/drive controllers 1062 and 1064 may include one or moreprogrammable motion/drive controllers and one or more powerconverter/amplifier. A programmable motion/drive controller may controla motor using a specific control routine or configuration that includesa set of preprogrammed or operator defined control steps or set points.The control steps or configuration may, for example, includeinstructions on the relative velocity and/or position of one or moremotors to a master reference signal. A position feedback sensor for themotor shaft may also be connected to the programmable motion/drivecontroller. The programmable motion/drive controller may calculate theposition of the servo motor shaft relative to a master reference signalusing the feedback sensor, and follow preprogrammed instructions toadjust the velocity and/or position of the motor to match the relativevelocity and position of the master reference signal. In one embodiment,for example, the master reference signal may include a frequency,amplitude and/or an angle to represent the reference velocity andposition for the flexible manufacturing system. A motor powerconverter/amplifier may control the amount of electrical current appliedto the motor to maintain its relative position to the master referencesignal. The amount of electrical current required may be determined bythe motion/drive controller and may be based on the amount of errorcalculated between the motor's shaft and the relative velocity and/orposition of the master reference. The motion/drive controller may alsotransmit, via an analog or digital network, to the logic controllerinformation such as status codes, error codes, velocity and position.

In order to assist in line changeovers, product size variations, etc.,the programmable motion/drive controller may have several alternativeroutines from which a line operator may choose to configure the line toassemble a particular product. Alternatively, the control routines mayuse operator-defined set points to control the operation of variousmotors in a feature section. In a further embodiment, if theprogrammable motion/drive controller may be connected to a network asshown in FIG. 54, and the control routines may be replaced, deleted ormodified over the network. The network, in one embodiment, may be anethernet, a Control Net™ product of Rockwell International), acombination of the two, or any other type of network known in the art.

The motor may be mechanically connected to one or more operationalunit(s) and electrically connected to the motor powerconverter/amplifier. The mechanical interface between the motor and theoperational unit may be a gear or a pulley set and/or a combination, orit may be a direct link. Operational units that are required to bepitched to a product, i.e., phased once, twice, etc. per product, on theproduction line may have motors that are configured as “pitched” motorsystems to rotate at a velocity that is synchronized with the productpitch. In one embodiment, an operator may synchronize the velocity ofthe motor with the product pitch by selecting the number of encoderpulses of a line shaft or a master drive motor on the converting line orthe number of virtual encoder pulses transmitted over the motion/drivecontrol network that represent a single product pitch at the operatorinterface. The local motion/drive control function may synchronize theoperation of a pitched operational unit to a single product length. Forexample, a single revolution or linear movement of the pitchedoperational unit may correspond to an integer number of product lengths,or an integer number of revolutions or linear movements of the pitchedoperational unit may correspond to a single product length. In oneembodiment, a feature local controller may synchronize the rotation orlinear movement of the pitched operational unit to a single productlength by multiplying the set number of encoder or virtual encoderpulses by the gear ratio for the particular motor that drives thatoperational unit. The gear ratio is dependent upon the mechanicalconnection between the motor and the operational unit, and the number ofproducts that may be produced by one rotation or linear movement of theoperational unit. The gear ratio may be preprogrammed or set by anoperator for a particular motor in a feature section. In an alternativeembodiment, the rotational or linear velocity of the operational unitmay be synchronized with the product pitch by preprogramming, or by theoperator selecting at the operator interface, the number of productsthat will be produced in a given time frame, e.g., 100 diapers perminute. Operational units that are not required to be pitched to theproduct may have motors that are mechanically coupled to the non-pitchedoperational units and may be configured as non-pitched motor systems.The non-pitched operational unit may follow the relative velocity of themaster reference. The operator may have the ability to change or adjustthe motor velocity of the non-pitched operational unit to compensate forvarious changes in raw materials and/or a product size, or this may bedone through programming.

An independently-driven servo motor allows for more rapid changes inmotor velocity and position versus the remainder of the line becausesoftware control of the servo motor may be more rapidly changed out thantraditional mechanical linkages, gears, belt drives, etc. Usingdigitally controlled servo motors may also allow for more accuracy inproduct making because they may provide a higher degree ofsynchronization and position control over traditional line shaft and/orbelt drives, especially in a long drive train. Furthermore, digitallycontrolled servo motors may also allow for “push button” changeoversthat allow an operator to select a product from pre-configured programset points for one or more of the logic and motion/drive control systemsto direct the motion/drive of one or more of the servo motors toautomatically make the desired product.

As described above, an operational unit may include one or more logicaldevices. In one embodiment, the local logic control functions may behoused in a feature local logic controller that directly controls theoperation of the logical devices for that feature and synchronizes orcoordinates the operation of those logical devices with the rest of theflexible manufacturing system. The feature local logic controller maysynchronize or coordinate the operation of the local logical devices byusing a master logic reference signal that is generated by the centrallogic controller and transmitted over a network, such as the logiccontrol sub-network 1124, to the feature local logic controller.

The feature local logic controllers may be connected with one or morecontrol devices and/or one or more operator interfaces in a remote localnetwork. The first feature local logic controller 1066 may, for example,be connected with the first feature control devices 1073 and 1074located in the first and second modules 1082 and 1084 of the firstfeature section 1078 and with a first feature operator interface 1070 bythe first feature remote local network links 1138 and 1140. Similarly,the second feature local logic controller 1068 may, for example, beconnected with the second feature control device 1076 located in module1086 of the second feature section 1080 and with a second featureoperator interface 1072 by the second feature remote local network links1134 and 1136. The feature remote local networks may be a digitalinternal control network for a feature section. This feature remotelocal network may originate at a feature local logic controller andconnect the operational unit control devices with the logic controllervia remote input and output electronic modules. The first feature locallogic controller 1066, for example, may be connected to the firstfeature operational unit control devices 1073 and 1074 via the firstfeature remote local network 1146. The second feature local logiccontroller 1068, for example, may be connected to the second featureoperational unit control device 1076 via the second feature remote localnetwork 1148. The internal network may also connect the feature locallogic controller with its corresponding operator interface such as thefirst and second feature local logic controllers 1066 and 1068 with thefirst and second feature operator interfaces 1070 and 1072,respectively. Signals transmitted over a feature remote local networkmay include, for example, status from control devices located in one ormore of the modules included in a feature section.

An example of a local control system including both a local motion/drivecontrol function and a local logic control function is the adhesivecontrol system shown in FIG. 59. A feature section 1202 of the presentinvention may include one or more adhesive applicators 380 housed in amodule 300 of the feature section 1202. The adhesive applicator 380 maybe of any type used in the art and may receive adhesive from an adhesivetank 384 via a pump 386, a supply hose 388, a remote meter 390, and afeature adhesive supply hose 392. The remote meter 390 may be driven bya servo motor 1206, which may be controlled by the feature localmotion/drive controller 962. The feature local motion/drive controller962 may include multiple, independent single axis programmablemotion/drive controllers 963 such as 1398-DDM-009 controllersmanufactured by Rockwell International for each motor that is to becontrolled, and/or one or more multiple axis programmable motion/drivecontrollers such as a 1394-SJT10-T-RL controllers manufactured byRockwell International that may control multiple motors. The featurelocal motion/drive controller 962 may control the servo motor 1206 via adrive and feedback control cable 1208. A feature adhesive supply hose392 may supply the adhesive from the remote meter 390 to the adhesiveapplicator 380. The temperature of the adhesive in the remote meter 390,the feature adhesive supply hose 392 and the adhesive applicator 380 maybe controlled by the feature local logic controller 934 via a power andfeedback cable 1210, which may be connected to the local logiccontroller 934 through an adhesive junction box 382 and remote localnetwork link 1214. The adhesive junction box 382 may have terminalconnectors for an electrical power supply and input/output devices fortemperature control/feedback signals from the remote meter 390, thefeature adhesive supply hose 392 and the adhesive applicator 380. Theadhesive junction box 382 may be connected to interface connectors 968via a power supply cable 1212, and to the feature local logic controller934 via a remote local network link 1214 to provide a temperaturefeedback signal to the feature local logic controller 934. The featurelocal logic controller 934 may be connected, such as by an adhesivestitching control cable 1216, to an electrical-to-pneumatic converter1218 located in the module 300. The converter 1218 may be connected tothe adhesive applicator 380 via compressed air tubing 1220. Theconverter 1218 may receive compressed air 1222 and provide on/off supplyof compressed air to the adhesive applicator 380 for starting andstopping the adhesive flow through the adhesive applicator 380.

In one particular embodiment of the present invention, a standardadhesive control panel 960 may be configured containing standardhardware and/or software for controlling the operation of adhesiveapplicators throughout the flexible manufacturing system. A standardadhesive control panel 960, for example, may be used for each featuresection of the flexible manufacturing system of the present inventionthat includes an adhesive applicator. The feature-specific hardwareand/or software required for controlling a particular adhesiveapplicator such as adhesive applicator 380 may be included with thefeature local logic controller 934, and/or may be added to the standardadhesive control panel 960. Utilizing standard adhesive panels may allowadhesive operational units to be added or removed from a feature sectionwithout reconfiguring the feature local controller of the featuresection. In this embodiment, for example, the logic controller 934 maybe connected to a logic control panel input and output section 966located in the adhesive control panel 960 via a remote local networklink 1224. A standard adhesive control panel 960 is shown schematicallyin FIG. 58. The adhesive control panel 960 may have a standard designfor controlling multiple remote meters by including multipleprogrammable motion/drive controller and motor power converter/amplifierpairs 962.

The tank control function may be performed by a separate localcontroller dedicated to controlling one or more adhesive tanks, one ormore of the feature local controllers or by the central computer. Thetank control function may control the temperature of the adhesive in thetank 384 and in the supply hose 388 in addition to the rate of theadhesive supplied to the remote meter 390 located in the module 300 ofthe feature section 1202. The adhesive tank 384 may include multipleadhesive chambers that each include at least one pump and may containdifferent types of adhesives.

A feature local controller may include at least a logic controllerand/or a motion/drive controller and/or other elements such as one ormore safety circuits and/or one or more power distribution systems. Asshown in FIG. 56, for example, a control panel 370 may include amotion/drive controller 932; a logic controller 934; control relays 936;safety relay 938; a programmable cam switch 940, dedicated wiretermination points 942; feature interface connectors 944; a logicinterface panel 946; power distribution circuit breakers 948;motion/drive controller contactors 950; AC motor contactors 952; and25VDC power supplies 954. A feature local controller may be housed byone or more control panels or by one or more of the modules of thefeature section.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a feature local controllermay be housed in one or more standard control panels such as describedabove with respect to the central computer 336. A standard control panelthat houses a feature local controller may be located nearby or adjacentto the module(s) of the feature section that the feature localcontroller controls. As shown in FIG. 23A, for example, a standardcontrol panel 370 may be located on the panel support structure 240adjacent to the module 300 that it controls. In the event that themodule(s) of a feature section are replaced by another feature section,the standard control panel 370 may be reconfigured to operate as thefeature local controller for the new feature section and to control themodule(s) of the new feature section.

In one embodiment, the flexible manufacturing system of the presentinvention may include standard main control panels 371 as shown in FIGS.21 and 56 and standard auxiliary control panels 374 (standard auxiliarycontrol panels 374E and 374F are shown in FIG. 21). Each of the standardcontrol panels may be limited in space so that it may only house controlhardware for a fixed number of electric motors, logical devices, etc. Inthis embodiment, when a feature section consists of more than the fixednumber of electric motors, logical devices, etc. that a standard maincontrol panel 371 may house, one or more standard auxiliary controlpanels 374 may also be used. In addition, a standard adhesive controlpanel 960, such as shown in FIGS. 21 and 58, and described above, may beused to house the hardware for a particular feature local controllerthat controls an adhesive system in the feature section. Alternatively,additional standard control panels may be configured to contain thehardware that controls other subsystems of a feature section such asmotion/drive or logic control aspects of the feature local controllers.

FIG. 21 shows, for example, a portion of an exemplary flexiblemanufacturing system of the present invention in which the feature localcontrollers are housed in standard control panels on a panel supportstructure 240 adjacent to the modules of the feature sections that thefeature local controllers control. The cuff feature section A is shownadjacent to a standard main control panel 371A and a standard adhesivecontrol panel 960A that together comprise the feature local controllerfor the cuff feature section A. The side panel feature section C isshown adjacent to a standard main control panel 371C and a standardadhesive control panel 960C that together comprise the feature localcontroller for the side panel feature section C. Next, the landing zonefeature section D is shown adjacent to a standard main control panel371D and a standard adhesive control panel 960D that together comprisethe feature local controller for the landing zone feature section D. Thefastening feature section E is shown adjacent to a standard main controlpanel 371E, a standard auxiliary control panel 374E and a standardadhesive control panel 960E that together comprise the feature localcontroller for the fastening feature section E. Finally, the fold andform feature section F is shown adjacent to a standard main controlpanel 371F and a standard auxiliary control panel 374F that togethercomprise the feature local controller for the fold and form featuresection F.

Some modules of the flexible manufacturing system of the presentinvention, however, may perform a collection of process steps that arenot directly related to the production of a product feature. The chassiscombining in-feed module 622 and the chassis combining module 624,collectively identified as section B of the flexible manufacturingsystem, for example, do not comprise a feature section for the purposesof the present invention. The operational units in these modules combinewebs that form the carrier for the manufacturing line, but do not form aparticular product feature. Rather, the operational units within thesemodules comprise a functional operation of combining multiple webs. Inthis example, multiple operational units that are not part of a featuresection may be located in one portion of the flexible manufacturingsystem and commonly controlled by one or more local controllers such asthe local controllers located in the standard main control panel 371Band standard adhesive control panel 960B for the chassis combiningin-feed module 622 and the chassis combining module 624. Alternatively,operational units or functional operations that do not form a featuresection may be housed in the modules of a feature section that hasspace. For example, a side notch device 778 that removes a portion ofthe web and is described below may be housed in one of the modules ofthe fastening feature section E and may be controlled by the featurelocal controller of the fastening feature section E that is housed instandard main control panel 371E, standard auxiliary control panel 374Eand standard adhesive control panel 960E.

The term “operator interface” as used in this application refers to amicroprocessor-based system that may allow an operator to input data andreceive data from a central computer or from a local controller. Aflexible manufacturing system of the present invention may include acentral operator interface that may be connected to the central computerand one or more local operator interfaces that may be connected to oneor more feature local controllers. The central operator interface mayobtain information from the central logic controller in the centralcomputer and may integrate the line data from one or more feature localcontrollers and display the data for the operator. The central operatorinterface may also distribute the data input from the operator to one ormore feature local controllers. An operator interface may also be theorigin of one or more machine set points such as motor parameter setpoints, glue temperatures, and programmable cam limits. The operatorinterface may also hold a database for other displays on the line, suchas electronic annunciation systems.

The central operator interface 920 shown in FIG. 54 and the firstfeature and second feature operator interfaces 1070 and 1072,respectively, may display for the operator the messages concerningmalfunctioning of the manufacturing system such as alarm messages. Someexamples of alarm messages may be a number of product rejects, a tissuebreak, an above tolerance torque on a servo motor, a misalignment of acomponent, an above tolerance temperature, etc. The alarm messages for afeature section may be displayed on a feature operator interface and/oron a central operator interface. As shown in FIG. 52, for example, thealarm messages for the first feature section 1078 may be displayed onthe first feature operator interface 1070, and the alarm messages forthe second feature section 1080 may be displayed on the second operatorinterface 1072. However, the central operator interface 1072 may displaythe alarm messages related to both feature sections 1078 and 1080. Inone embodiment, the alarm messages may be stored in the central logiccontroller 928 of the central computer 336.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 54, for example, may utilize the followingcommercial hardware: the master motion/drive reference 924 may be anEncoder Signal Reference Simulator (ESRS) manufactured by RockwellInternational; the motion/drive control signal converter transmitter 926may be an ALEC-4100 Axislink Encoder Converter manufactured by Rockwell;the central logic controller 1114 may be 1785-L40C PLC-5 manufactured byRockwell; the motors 1073, 1074 and 1076 may be 1326 Servo Motorsmanufactured by Rockwell; the motion/drive controllers 1062 and 1064 maybe 1394-SJT10-T-RL controllers manufactured by Rockwell; the featurelocal logic controllers 1066 and 1068 may be 1785-L40C15PLC-5 Processorsmanufactured by Rockwell; the feature operator interfaces 1070 and 1072may be a 1585THX+1242 manufactured by IDT Cutler Hammer of Ohio; thecentral main operator interface 920 may be a D735SVPR64DWNT manufacturedby IDT Cutler Hammer of Ohio.

FIG. 53 illustrates a feature section 1088. The feature section 1088 maybe adapted to be an addition to the manufacturing system and/or asubstitution of one or more feature sections. The feature section 1088may be capable of producing a new product feature or a modified productfeature. Further, the feature section 1088 may be capable of producingan alternative product feature to one produced by the feature sectionthat is being replaced. In this embodiment, the feature section 1088 maybe interchanged with another feature section in order to allow the lineto produce a different product or a different variation of a product(e.g., a different size).

FIG. 53 shows that feature section 1088 may include at least one module1089 and at least one feature local controller 1106. Further, the module1089 may include at least one operational unit 1100 which may include atleast one control device 1102 and/or at least one motor 1098. Thefeature local controller 1106 may also include at least one motion/drivecontroller 1104 and at least one logic controller 1105. Still further,the feature section 1088 may include at least one feature operatorinterface 1107.

When a feature section is removed from or added to the manufacturingsystem, the alarm files concerning the removed or added feature sectionmay be removed from or added to the central computer 336. See e.g., FIG.54. Alternatively, the central computer may contain the alarm files forvarious feature sections and when the central computer is informed, suchas by an operator input, a software flag from the feature localcontroller or stored within the central computer itself, the centralcomputer may look up the correct alarm file corresponding to thatfeature section. The term “updating alarm files” may include both theremoval and/or the update of the alarm files, or may include informingthe central computer of the feature section that is currently connectedto the manufacturing system. The alarm files may be updated manually orautomatically. Manually updating alarm files may involve, for example,connecting a personal computer 1050 (see e.g., FIG. 54), having logiccontrol software, to the logic control sub-network link 1052 forremoving the alarm files stored in the central logic controller 928 orfor adding new alarm files into the central logic controller 928.Automatically updating alarm files may involve having the central logiccontroller 928 read alarm files in every feature local controller of themanufacturing system via the logic control sub-network links 1052 and1056 after an initialization signal has been provided by the operatorfrom the main operator interface 920 (see e.g., FIG. 54) or from thefeature operator interface 1107 (See e.g., FIG. 53).

Panel Support Structure

FIGS. 21, 23A, 24 and 25 show a panel support structure 240 that maysupport a fluid utility system 302, an electrical power system 304,standard control panels 370, standard main control panels 371, standardauxiliary control panels 374, standard adhesive control panels 960,source material, etc. to provide more operating floor space and improvedaccess to the converting line. The panel support structure 240 may beabout the same length as the manufacturing line, and may be locatedimmediately adjacent to the drive side of the line. The panel supportstructure 240 may be prefabricated in lengths that can be easily shippedto a plant site in standard shipping containers and assembled quickly onthe plant site by using commercial hardware as shown in FIGS. 24–29. Theprefabricated sections may include one or more platform 242, supportcolumns 244, stairs 246, safety hand rails 248, wireways 249 and 256,two power distribution bus ducts 252 and 253, utility header supports254, and cross braces 258. The platforms 242 may be of standard lengths,such as about 3.5 and/or about 4 meters.

There are preferably two rows of columns 260 and 262 supporting thepanel support structure 240 as shown in FIG. 25. The row 260 is locatedalong the edge of the panel support structure 240 immediately adjacentto the modules and the row 262 is located along the side distant fromthe modules. The support columns are preferably of a moveable design andare preferably located adjacent to the connecting line between themodules. This location creates a convenient access to the drive side ofthe modules by allowing the drive side guard doors 162 and 164 shown inFIG. 15 to be open a full 90 degrees without obstruction. In the event achange such as a product upgrade or product change for the manufacturingline results in a change of a module length, and this results in acolumn blocking access to one or more modules, it may be desirable torelocate the column to the connecting line location between two modules.To accomplish this quickly, the platform beam 264 to which the supportcolumn 244 (FIG. 28) attaches is preferably pre-drilled with a series ofholes that allow it to be reattached without further modification to theplatform beam 264 or the column 244. The hole pattern may be repeatedincrementally in a distance equal to the incremental difference betweendifferent size modules used in the converting line. For example, if themodules of a particular converting line are 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 metersin width, the hole patterns may be repeated every 0.5 meters along thepanel support structure.

Control panels, such as the standard main control panels 370, thestandard auxiliary control panels 374 and the standard adhesive panels960, may be located on the panel support structure 240 and may beattached to the panel support structure 240 with clamps that eliminate aneed to drill holes in the panel support structure 240 and allow easyinstallation and removal of the panels.

As shown in FIGS. 23A and 23B, the utility header supports 254 may beused to support piping for compressed air, vacuum, glycol, etc. directedto parts of the manufacturing line where they are needed. Having themsupported independently from the modules and from the control panelsenhances the ability to make rapid changes of the modules of themanufacturing line.

The wireways 249 and 256 may be used to support electrical controlcables, power cables, adhesive hoses, etc. that may be run to aparticular module as shown in FIGS. 23A, 25 and 26. This approach maysave time during the initial installation and whenever a module isremoved, added or replaced for an upgrade because operators are notrequired to disturb or re-pull unrelated cables or hoses.

Multiple power distribution buses, such as the motion power distributionbus 252 and the auxiliary power distribution bus 253, may be mountedindependently to the panel support structure 240 These buses may belocated near the base of the control panels and run parallel to themanufacturing line.

FIG. 23A illustrates the positioning of a module 300 in relation to thepanel support structure 240 and also connections of the module 300 to afluid utility system 302 and to an electric power system 304. The module300 may be located adjacent to the panel support structure 240 under aheader support 254. The header support 254 is attached to the panelsupport structure 240 and supports the fluid utility system 302 whichmay include headers attached to the header support 254 such as thefollowing: a compressed air header 306, a low vacuum header 308, a housecleaning vacuum header 310, a high vacuum header 312, a glycol supplyheader 314 and a glycol return header 316. The headers may includeseparate sections of headers connected together to form a continuousheader system generally along the full length of the manufacturing line.The headers may be connected via pipe, ducts, hoses or tubes (alsocalled “drops”) to quick disconnects located immediately above themodule 300 such as shown in FIGS. 23A and 23B. The quick disconnects mayinclude a compressed air quick disconnect 324, a low vacuum quickdisconnect 318, a house cleaning vacuum quick disconnect 322, a highvacuum quick disconnect 320, and two glycol quick disconnects 326. Thequick disconnects may be operated without tools and shorten the timeneeded to connect and disconnect the utilities. To minimize the numberof connections, it is preferable to have no more than one entry perutility for each module. From that entry, a particular fluid utility isrouted inside the module to desired destinations. If a particularutility is not required for a particular module, the header of thisutility may be closed off such as with an end cap or a valve.

As shown in FIG. 23A, the electrical power may be supplied from a powerdistribution center 328 to a motion bus 252 and an auxiliary bus 253 viapower cables 330 and 332, respectively. Both the motion bus 252 and theauxiliary bus 253 may be attached to the panel support structure 240.The motion bus 252 may be connected to at least one motor 280 located inthe module 300 via a motion/drive controller 334. The motion/drivecontroller 334 may be connected to the motion bus 252 via a motion powercable 333 and a quick disconnect 337 and to the motor 280 via power andfeedback cables 339 and 342, which are preferably connected via a quickdisconnect 344 located immediately above the module 300. Themotion/drive controller 334 may be also connected to a central computer336 via a control motor cable 338. The auxiliary bus 253 may beconnected to at least one logic controller 340 via a logic power cable341 and a quick disconnect 345. The logic controller 340 may beconnected to an electrical junction bus 346 as shown in FIG. 23B by aremote local network cable 348 and a quick disconnect 350. The logiccontroller 340 may be also connected to the central computer 336 via alogic control network cable 352. An operator interface 354 may beattached to a guard door 356 and connected to the electrical junctionbox 346 by a remote local network cable 358. A safety lockout switch 360may be attached to a guard door 356 below the operator interface 354.The safety lockout switch 360 may be connected to the power distributioncenter 328 via a safety lockout switch cable 362 and a quick disconnect364. The remote local network cable 348, the safety lockout switch cable362, and the power and feedback cables 339 and 342 may be extendedthrough a wireway 249, which may be attached to the panel supportstructure 240. The wireway 249 may be dedicated to the module 300 or toa particular feature section in order to prevent the cables connectingthe module 300 or the particular feature section from being intermingledwith cables for other modules or feature sections. This approach maysave time during the initial installation and whenever a module orfeature section is removed, added or replaced in the manufacturingsystem.

Both the motion controller 334 and the logic controller 340 may belocated in a control panel 370 described in more detail below. Thecontrol panel 370 may be located above the floor on the panel supportstructure 240 and adjacent to the module 300. The front 372 of thecontrol panel 370 may be facing the module 300. This layout creates adirect line of sight between an electrician working at the control panel370 on the panel support structure 240 and an operator on the floorfacing the module 300. This may also allow for better communication andmay lead to shorter trouble shooting times and a safer operatingenvironment. More than one control panel may be used for a particularmodule or feature section if necessary to house the required controlequipment for that particular module or feature section.

If a module includes at least one adhesive applicator 380, as shown inFIG. 59, for example, then the module may also be provided with anadhesive junction box 382 which may be located on a right top side ofthe module 300. The adhesive applicator 380 may receive adhesive from anadhesive tank 384 via a pump 386, a supply hose 388, a remote meterapplicator 390, and a feature hose 392. A module may include one or moreadhesive applicators supplied with one or more adhesives. Control ofthese adhesive applicators, for example, may be provided by a standardmain control panel 371 and a standard adhesive control panel 960. Thestandard adhesive control panel 960 as well as the standard main controlpanel 371 may be located on the panel support structure 240 adjacent tothe standard main control panel 371.

Safety Lockout

The manufacturing system of this invention includes a safety lockoutsystem for shutting off the electrical power supply from themanufacturing system and for preventing an inadvertent motion of themanufacturing system during the shutdown. The safety lockout system maybe any lockout system used in the art of machine control, however, inone particular embodiment of the invention, the safety lockout systemmay be an 800 ampere rated lockout system from Moeller Electric Companyof Bonn, Germany. This safety lockout system enables having a safetydisconnect in every module connected to a 24 volts control cable insteadof running heavy power cables (for example, 400 volts) between themodules. The latter option would be more costly and take more physicalspace. The capability of having a power disconnect at every moduleprovides safety and convenience for the operators and maintenancepersonnel.

FIG. 60 shows a block diagram of one embodiment of a safety lockoutsystem 1000. The safety lockout system 1000 preferably includes a manualmain switch 1002, a manual auxiliary bus switch 1004, a manual motionbus switch 1006, motion bus contactor unit 1008, a control unit 1010, adistributor unit 1012, and one or more safety lockout switches 1014,1016, etc., each providing electric power to a supporting module. Themotion bus contactor unit 1008 may provide electric power to a motionbus 252. The power unit 1000 preferably includes contactors 1018 forinterrupting the power to the motion bus 252. A manual switch 1004 mayserve for interrupting the power to an auxiliary bus 253. Alternatively,the auxiliary bus 253 may include a similar contactor scheme asdescribed above with respect to the motion bus 252. The control unit1010 may provide a redundant safety monitoring and interlock. Thedistributor unit 1012 preferably monitors multiple safety switches 1014,1016, etc. and when one or more of the multiple safety switches is open,the distributor unit 1012 sends a signal to the control unit 1010informing the control unit 1012 that one or more of the safety switchesis open. The control unit 1010, then de-energizes the redundantcontactors 1007 to remove power from the motion bus 252.

FIG. 57 shows a preferred embodiment of a power distribution centerpanel 328 that forms a part of the safety lockout system 1000. The powerdistribution center panel 328 may include a control unit 1030, adistribution unit 1032, a motion bus contactor unit 1034, a manualmotion bus switch 1036, a manual auxiliary bus switch 1038, a manualpacking switch 1040, and a manual main switch 1042. Alternatively, thedistribution unit 1032 may also be distributed throughout the productionline. This may reduce the number and length of cables that need to berun from the individual safety lockout switches 1014, 1016, etc. to thepower distribution center panel 328 shown in FIG. 57.

Standalone Operation

FIG. 52 illustrates an example of a two-module feature section beingused as a standalone operation 900. The modules may be operated off-linein order to develop product feature upgrades in which the operationalunits of the feature section may be modified until the product featureis being made as desired. The modules may also be run off-line to testtheir operation before they are installed in a converting line.Alternatively, the standalone operation 900 may be used as a standaloneproduction center for producing components of a diaper or otherdisposable article off-line. In this particular example, the back earin-feed module 802 and the back ear application module 804 are providedwith an unwind device 904 and a rewind device 906. The unwind device 904provides a web material 908 from a reel 910 of the web 908 onto whichthe back ears 554, as shown in FIG. 31, produced by the modules 802 and804 from the back ear material 854 may be applied to produce a combinedweb 912. In one embodiment, the web material 908 may be a product webthat includes all the features of a finished disposable article exceptthe feature(s) being assembled by the feature section(s) being run in astandalone mode. The rewind device 906 creates a rear of the combinedweb 913 including the back ears 554.

The stand-alone operation 900 may be supported by a docking station forsupplying power distribution, safety systems, compressed air, vacuum,glycol, adhesive(s) and other utilities as needed. One or more modulesof the stand-alone operation 900 may be connected to the docking stationsimilarly as they would have been connected on a manufacturing line andas shown in FIGS. 23A and 23B, and described above.

During standalone mode operation, a feature local controller may controlthe operation of the operational units in the feature section. Thefeature local controller may independently synchronize and coordinatethe operation of the motors and logical devices in the feature section,or may receive a reference signal from an external source that may beused to simulate the reference signal described above that it wouldreceive in a converting line.

Use of individual modules or feature sections as “test stands” for aportion of a product may eliminate a step from typical product upgrades.For example, a standalone operation including the operational units thatform a particular product feature into one feature section that (or asubstantially identical feature section that) may ultimately be pluggeddirectly into a production converting line may allow for combining thesteps of constructing a high speed test stand that may manufacture aparticular product feature being upgraded in isolation at high speeds inorder to test the feasibility of high speed manufacturing andconstructing a prototype line that is able to make complete prototypeproducts including the particular product feature at high speeds of atypical product upgrade development. Thus, once built and tested, thestandalone feature section that may function as the high speed teststand may also be inserted into a prototype line and products includingthe newly developed product feature may be assembled at high speedswithout having to construct or reconstruct a complete prototype line.Further, the standalone feature section(s) may first be utilized as apreliminary machine production unit that may manufacture the featuresection being upgraded and/or the entire product incorporating thefeature section in order to determine product and process feasibility,then as a high speed test stand and finally inserted into a high speedprototype line. Also, once the product feature upgrade has beensuccessfully produced on a high speed prototype line, the featuresection(s), or substantially similar feature section(s), may be insertedinto one or more production lines. Even further, where multipleproduction lines are designed in accordance with the present invention,product upgrades may be easily rolled out over multiple production linesbecause substantially similar or identical feature sections that havebeen tested on a pilot line or another production line may be easilyinserted into multiple production lines after the testing and debuggingof the feature sections have been completed on other lines. Thus, thedown time of each production line may be drastically reduced.

Exemplary Line

An exemplary modular diaper line for making the diaper 500 shown in FIG.30 is illustrated schematically in FIGS. 33, 34 and 36. The linecomprises fifteen modules and includes an absorbent core making featuresection 600 shown in FIG. 33 and a converting operation 602 shown inFIGS. 34 and 36. The absorbent core making feature section 600 comprisessix modules: a patch module 604; a tissue module 606; a dry lap module608; a core folding module 610; a core calendar module 612; and a corecutting module 614. The individual core pads 616 are fed into convertingoperation 602. The converting operation 602 comprises nine modules asshown in FIGS. 34 and 36: a cuff module 620; a chassis combining in-feedmodule 622; a chassis combining module 624; a side panel module 626; alanding zone module 60; a fastening tape module 630; a side notch module632; a folding module 634; and a final forming module 636. The ninemodules of converting operation 602 further comprise 5 feature sectionsand a functional operation.

As shown in FIGS. 34, 36 and 38, the cuff feature section A includescuff module 620. The cuff module 620 comprises a turning bar 640 forturning an cuff material 642 supplied from a reel 644 located on theside of the converter 602 as shown in FIG. 36; an omega roll 646 formetering the cuff material 642; a tracking device 648 for steering thecuff material 642; a slitter 650 for slitting the cuff material 642 intotwo webs 651 and 652; an omega roll 654 for metering the slit webs 651and 652; an idler roll 656 for separating the slit cuff material intotwo webs 651 and 652 ; tracking devices 658 and 660 for steering theslit webs 651 and 652; an omega roll 662 for metering the slit webs 651and 652; a reel 664 for supplying elastic strings 666; an adhesiveapplicator 668 for intermittently applying adhesive onto the elasticstrings 666; a folding device 670 for applying the elastic strings 666onto the slit cuff webs 651 and 652, and forming two cuffs 671 and 672;a chill roll 674 for chilling the adhesive; a two-roll cuff formingdevice 676; an omega roll 678 for metering a topsheet web 680 suppliedfrom a reel 682 located on the side of the converting line as shown inFIG. 36; a tracking device 684 for the topsheet web 680; a 3-roll bonddevice 686 for bonding the top cuffs 671 and 672 to the top sheet web680 producing a topsheet/cuff combined web 688; an omega roll 690 formetering the topsheet/cuff combined web 688; upper and lower turningrolls 692 for directing the topsheet/cuff combined web 688; an omegaroll 693 for metering the combined material 688; a tracking device 694for steering the topsheet/cuff combined web 688; an adhesive applicator696 for applying adhesive onto the topsheet web 680; a pad spacingconveyor 698 for creating a specified space between individual absorbentcore pads 616 and transporting the core pads 616 onto the top sheet web680 of the combined material 688 and resulting in a combined material699.

The chassis combining in-feed module 622 shown in FIGS. 34, 36 and 39and the chassis combining module 624 shown in FIGS. 34, 36 and 40together comprise the chassis combining functional operation B. Thechassis combining in-feed module 622 comprises a vacuum conveyor 700 fortransporting the combined material 699 from the cuff module 620comprising the topsheet/cuff web 688 with spaced core pads 616. Asuction force created by the vacuum conveyor 700 affects the adhesivebond between the topsheet web 680 and core pads 616.

The chassis combining module 624 comprises a diverter 710 for divertingouter cuff elastics 712 supplied from a box 713 as shown in FIG. 34; anadhesive applicator 714 for applying adhesive onto the outer cuffelastics 712; an adhesive applicator 716 for applying adhesive onto acombined material 735 for bonding the combined material 735 to the corepads 616 located on the web 699 coming from the chassis combiningin-feed module 622; and an adhesive applicator 720 for applying anadhesive onto the combined material 735 for bonding the material 735 tothe topsheet web 680 of the material 699 and resulting in a combinedmaterial 702.

The side panel feature section C includes the side panel module 626shown in FIGS. 34, 36 and 41. The side panel module 626 comprises avacuum conveyor 722 for transporting the combined web 702 from thechassis combining module 624; an activation device 726 for activatingthe side panels 510 of diaper 500 shown in FIG. 30 on the web 702 andresulting in a material 96; an omega roll 728 for metering a material 97coming from the landing zone module 60, which is shown in FIG. 7; atracking device 730 for steering the material 97; an adhesive applicator732 for applying adhesive onto the material 97 for bonding the material97 to a side panel material 734 and resulting in a combined material735; a cut and slip device 736 for cutting and applying the side panelmaterial 734 onto the material 97, an omega roll 738 for feeding theside panel material 734 to the cut and slip device 736; a turning bar740 for the side panel material 734; a slitting device 742 for the sidepanel material 734; a tracking device 744 for steering the side panelmaterial 734; and an omega roll 746 for feeding the side panel material734. The side panel material 734 may be fed from a reel 748 such asshown in FIG. 36.

As shown in FIGS. 34 and 36, the landing zone feature section D includesthe landing zone module 60. The landing zone module 60 is shown indetail in FIGS. 7–10 and is described above.

The fastening feature section E includes the primary fastening module630 shown in FIGS. 34, 36 and 42 and the secondary fastening module 632shown in FIGS. 34, 36 and 43. The primary fastening module 630 comprisesa fastening tape delivery device 760 for delivering two webs of primaryfastening tapes 762 and 763; a tape applicator 764 for applying the twowebs of primary fastening tapes 762 and 763 onto the material 96 andresulting in a material 766; and a vacuum conveyor 765 for transportingthe material 766. The secondary fastening module 632 comprises two reels770 and 771 for supplying two webs of a secondary fastening material 772and 773; pull rolls 774 for metering the two webs of the secondaryfastening material 772 and 773; and an applicator 776 for applying thesecondary fastening materials 772 and 773 onto the web 766 and resultingin a web 779. The secondary fastening module 632 may also house a sidenotch device 778 for making a side notch in the crotch area 520 of thediaper 500 shown in FIG. 30. The side notch device 778 does not add anynew material to the web 779, but rather removes a portion of the web tocreate the side notches of diaper 500. Thus, the side notch operationalunit does not form a feature section of the manufacturing line. Althoughthe side notch device 778 may be housed in a separate module from thefastening feature section, as shown in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 34and 43, the side notch device 778 may be housed in a module of a featuresection that includes space and may be commonly controlled along withthe feature section itself.

The folding module 634 shown in FIGS. 34, 36 and 44 and the finalforming module 636 shown in FIGS. 34, 36 and 45 together comprise thefold and form feature section F. The folding module 634 comprises avacuum conveyor 780 for transporting the web 779; and a folding device784 for folding the web 779. The final forming module 636 comprises pullrolls 786 for metering the web 779; a final knife 788 for cutting theweb 779 into individual diapers; a discharge conveyor 790 fordischarging defective diapers; and a final folding device 792 forbringing the diaper into a final folding shape.

In order to produce another type of diaper, for example the diaper 550shown in FIG. 31, the converting portion 602 shown in FIGS. 34 and 36may be changed by removing three modules 626, 630 and 632 and bringingnew modules 800, 802 and 804 shown in FIGS. 35 and 37. Specifically, theside panel module 626 may be replaced by a front ear module 800; andboth the tape module 630 and the side notch module 632 may be replacedby a back ear in-feed module 802 and a back ear application module 804,respectively. A method for changing modules on a production line isdescribed below.

The front ear feature section H includes the front ear module 800 shownin FIGS. 35, 37, 46 and 47. The front ear module 800 comprises an omegaroll 810 and a dancer 812 in combination for metering a front earmaterial 814 by pulling it from a supply box 816, which is located onthe side of the converter 796 as shown in FIG. 37, and through two idlerrolls 818; a tracking device 820 for steering the front ear material814; an omega roll 821 and idler rolls 822 and 823 for splitting thefront ear material 814 into two separate front ear webs 825 and 826; anomega roll 828 for metering and pulling the two separate front ear webs825 and 86 through idler rolls 830; an adhesive applicator 832 forapplying an adhesive onto the two separate front ear webs 825 and 826; acut and slip unit 834 for cutting the two webs 825 and 86 into separatefront ears 552, such as shown in FIG. 31, and applying the front ears552 onto the combined material 97A; an omega roll 836 for metering thematerial 97A; a tracking device 838 for steering the material 97A intothe cut and slip unit 834; and a vacuum conveyor 840 and an idler roll842 for transporting a combined web 702A from the chassis combiningmodule 624 to the landing zone module 628.

The back ear in-feed module 802 shown in FIGS. 35, 37, 48 and 49 and theback ear application module 804 shown in FIGS. 35, 37 and 50 togethercomprise the back ear feature section I. The back ear in-feed module 802comprises an omega roll 850 and a dancer 852 in combination for meteringa back ear material 854, which includes the fastening tapes 516 shown inFIG. 31, by pulling the back ear material 854 from a supply box 856,located on the side of the converter 796 as shown in FIG. 37 and throughan idler roll 858; a tracking device 860 for steering the back earmaterial 854; a second tracking device 861 for steering the back earmaterial 854; an omega roll 862 for metering the back ear material 854;rollers 864 for splitting the back ear material 854 into two separatewebs 865 and 866; an omega roll 868 for metering the two separate webs865 and 866 to a back ear application module 864; and a conveyor 869 fortransporting the combined web 702A from the front ear module 800 throughthe landing zone module 60 to the back ear application module 804.

The back ear application module 804 comprises two tracking devices 870and 871 for steering the two separate back ear webs 865 and 866; anomega roll 872 for metering the two separate back ear webs 865 and 866;a cutting device 874 for trimming the two back ear webs 865 and 866; anomega roll 876 for metering the two back ear webs 865 and 866; anadhesive applicator 878 for applying an adhesive onto the two back earwebs 865 and 866; a cut and slip device 880 for cutting and applying theback ears 865 and 866 onto the combined web 702A coming from the backear in-feed module 802; and a conveyor 882 for transporting a material884 including attached back ears 554 as shown in FIG. 31.

In another example shown in FIG. 51, a module can be used as across-over module 892 to create a cross-over path between both sides ofthe converting line 796A. In this example the back ear in-feed module802 of the converting line 796 shown in FIG. 35 is replaced by anotherback ear in-feed module 890 and a cross-over module 892.

Exemplary Product Upgrade

An exemplary product upgrade of a manufacturing line such as the oneshown in FIGS. 35 and 37 may include changing a multiple-layer back ear854 of the diaper shown in FIG. 31 so that it is extensible. In thisexample, the back ear 854 may be made extensible such as described inU.S. Pat. No. 5,151,092 entitled “Absorbent Article With Dynamic ElasticWaist Feature Having a Predisposed Resilient Flexural Hinge” issued toKenneth B. Buell et al. on Sep. 29, 1992, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,801entitled “Web Materials Exhibiting Elastic-Like Behavior” issued toCharles W. Chappell et al. on May 21, 1996, each of which isincorporated by reference. In the manufacturing line shown in FIGS. 35and 37, for example, the back ear in-feed module 802 or the back earapplicator module 804, which together form the back ear feature sectionI, may be modified to include operational units that make the back ear854 of the diaper 550 extensible. The new back ear feature section maybe tested off-line until the back ear feature section is assembling backears that have an acceptable extensibility and is applying the back earsto a web in a satisfactory manner. Then, the existing back ear in-feedmodule 802 in the manufacturing line may be replaced by the new back earin-feed module that provides an extensible back ear web to the back earapplication module 804.

Methods Of Line Change

The manufacturing system of this invention may provide flexibility forremoving at least one feature section from the manufacturing systemand/or adding another feature section to the manufacturing system. Forexample, if there is a need to change a product design that involves achange in a design of a particular product feature, a feature section ofthe manufacturing system producing that product feature may be removedfrom the manufacturing system and another feature section adapted forproducing the new product feature may be used to replace the removedfeature section. The added feature section may physically fit or not fitin the space vacated by the removed feature. If the added featuresection physically fits into the space, then no change in the positionof adjacent feature section(s) may be necessary. However, if the addedfeature section physically does not fit into the space, then a change inposition of adjacent feature section(s) may be necessary. Further, ifthere is a need to add a new product feature to a product, a new featuresection may be added to the manufacturing system. Adding a new featuremay or may not involve a change in position of adjacent featuresection(s).

Referring to FIGS. 1–6, 11–12, 23A, 23B and 60, removing a module from amanufacturing line may involve all or some of the following steps (notnecessarily in the order listed below):

-   1) Lock out the motion bus 252, the auxiliary bus 253, and the    safety lockout switch 360.-   2) Disconnect the power and feedback cables 342 such as via the    quick disconnects 344.-   3) Disconnect the logic control network cable 348 from the    electrical main junction box 346 such as via the quick disconnect    350.-   4) Disconnect the house cleaning vacuum such as via quick disconnect    322.-   5) Disconnect the low vacuum such as via quick disconnect 318.-   6) Disconnect the high vacuum such as via quick disconnect 320.-   7) Disconnect the glycol supply and return such as via quick    disconnects 326.-   8) Disconnect the compressed air supply such as via quick disconnect    324.-   9) Disconnect and remove the adhesive supply hose(s) 388.-   10) Disconnect and remove the safety lockout switch cable 362 from    the power and distribution center panel 328 such as via a quick    disconnect 364.-   11) Set up lifting mechanism manifold 130 and thread air lines 132    to the module.-   12) Insert lifting mechanisms 30 into regions 22 under the module.-   13) Remove bolts and pins 38, spacers 36, and wedges 32 and 34 from    the module.-   14) Measure and record the height of feet 26 on the module from the    floor to the bottom of the horizontal plate 16.-   15) Secure the module. For example, a person may be placed on the    operator side and on the drive side of the module.-   16) Activate the lifting mechanism and remove the module from the    line. For example, the lifting mechanisms 30 may be inflated, and    the module may be slowly pushed out of the line.-   17) Move the module out of the way and lower the module. The lifting    mechanism 30, for example, may be slowly deflated.

Referring to FIGS. 1–6, 11–12, 23A, 23B and 60, inserting a module intoa manufacturing line may, for example, involve all or some of thefollowing steps (not necessarily in the order listed below):

-   1) Lock out the module's motion bus 252, the auxiliary bus 253, and    the safety lockout switch 360.-   2) Adjust the height of the feet of the module being inserted to the    height of the feet 26 of the replaced module.-   3) Insert lifting mechanisms 30 into regions 22 under the module.-   4) Secure the module. For example, a person may be placed on the    operator side and on the drive side of the module.-   5) Activate the lifting mechanism. For example, the lifting    mechanisms 30 may be inflated.-   6) Guide the module into an aligned position on the manufacturing    line.-   7) Lower the lifting mechanism. For example, the lifting mechanisms    30 may be deflated and removed.-   8) Adjust the feet 26 of the module to ensure that the vertical    plates 10 and 12 of the module being inserted and of the adjacent    module(s) are parallel and that the modules are at the same    elevation.-   9) Insert spacers 36 and wedges 32 and 34 and secure the module with    bolts and pins 38.-   10) Connect the house cleaning vacuum such as via quick disconnect    322.-   11) Connect the low vacuum such as via quick disconnect 318.-   12) Connect the high vacuum such as via quick disconnect 320.-   13) Connect the glycol supply and return such as via quick    disconnects 326.-   14) Connect the compressed air supply such as via quick disconnect    324.-   15) Connect the adhesive supply hose(s) 388.-   16) Connect the safety lockout switch cable 362 to the power    distribution center 328 such as via a quick disconnect 364.-   17) Connect the logic control network cable 348 to the electrical    main junction box 346 such as via a quick disconnect 350.-   18) Connect the power and feedback cable 342 such as via the quick    disconnects 344.-   19) Unlock the motion bus 252, the auxiliary bus 253, and the safety    lockout switch 360.-   20) Load module software into the motion controller 334 and the    logic controller 340.-   21) Push the start button on the operator interface 354 or the main    operator interface 630.

This may automatically home the drives.

Standard control panels such as standard control panels 370 shown inFIG. 56 may be reconfigured to perform as a control panel for adifferent feature section, or may be added to, replaced in or removedfrom a flexible manufacturing system of the present invention. If afeature section is replaced by another feature section, often thestandard control panels for the feature section that is being removedmay be reconfigured as control panels for the new feature section. Inthis case, software and/or hardware in the standard control panels maybe replaced or reconfigured in order to control the operation of the newfeature section. Alternatively, if a new feature section is insertedinto the flexible manufacturing system and no spares already exist alongthe line that may be configured as control panels for that featuresection, one or more new standard control panels such as a standard maincontrol panel 370N, a standard auxiliary panel 374N and/or a standardadhesive panel 960N may be installed to support the new feature sectionsuch as shown in FIGS. 56 and 58. New standard control panel(s) may alsoneed to be installed in different locations along the flexiblemanufacturing system than the panel(s) being replaced. If it isnecessary to remove an existing standard control panel and to install anew standard control panel, all or some of the following steps, forexample, may be performed (not necessarily in the order listed below):

-   1) Lock out the module's motion bus 252, auxiliary bus 253 and    safety lockout switch 360.-   2) Disconnect the electrical power cable 333 from the motion bus 252    such as via a quick disconnect 337.-   3) Disconnect the electrical power cable 341 from the auxiliary bus    253 such as via a quick disconnect 345.-   4) Disconnect the remote local network cable 348 from the electrical    main junction box 346 such as via a quick disconnect 350.-   5) Disconnect the control motion cable 338 from the motion    controller 334 inside the standard control panel 370.-   6) Disconnect the logic control network cable 352 from the logic    controller 340 inside the standard control panel 370.-   7) Disconnect the power and feedback cable 342 such as via the quick    disconnect 344.-   8) Remove the standard control panel 370.-   9) Install a new standard electric panel 370N.-   10) Connect the power and feedback cable 342 such as via the quick    disconnect 344.-   11) Connect the logic control network cable 352 from the logic    controller 340 inside the new standard control panel 370N.-   12) Connect the control motion cable 338 from the motion controller    334 inside the new standard control panel 370N.-   13) Connect the remote local network cable 348 from the electrical    main junction box 346 such as via the quick disconnect 350.-   14) Connect the electrical power cable 341 from the auxiliary bus    253 such as via the quick disconnect 345.-   15) Connect the electrical power cable 333 from the motion bus 252    such as via the quick disconnect 337.-   16) Unlock the motion bus 252, the auxiliary bus 253, and the safety    lockout switch 360.-   17) Load module software into the motion controller 334 and the    logic controller 340 of the new standard control panel 370N.-   18) Push the start button on the operator interface 354 or the main    operator interface 920.

This may automatically home the drives. If an existing standard controlpanel is to be removed but a new standard control panel is not to beadded, steps 1–8 may be sufficient. Alternatively, if a new standardcontrol panel is to be added, but no existing standard control panelsare to be removed, steps 9–18 may be sufficient.

When replacing a module with a module that has a different length thanthe original module or when modules are rearranged and the location ofmodule to module connections are changed, the panel support structure240 shown in FIGS. 24–29 may require reconfiguration of the panelsupport structure 240. The reconfiguration may involve changing thelocation of one or more columns 244, changing the location of thewireway 249, and/or relocating or adding the header support 254 shown inFIG. 23A.

Changing a location of a column may, for example, involve all or some ofthe following steps (not necessarily in the order listed below):

1) Before removing the column to be removed or replaced, position a newcolumn under the panel support structure 240 in the new location.

2) Align the new column with the correct pre-drilled holes in the beam264.

3) Place a shim, such as a 25 mm thick shim, under the new column.

4) Bolt the top of the new column to the beam with bolts 255.

5) Drill holes, such as the four holes shown, into the floor.

6) Insert bolts 263, such as adhesive threaded rod anchor bolts, throughthe base plate 265 and into the four holes in the floor.

7) Grout under the new column and secure nuts 261 onto the base plate265.

8) Tighten the bolts 255 at the top of the new column.

Once the new column is secured in place, it may be safe to remove theold column causing to allow free movement of the doors of new module.The removal of the old column may, for example, involve all or a portionof the following steps (not necessarily in the order listed below):

-   1) Remove the grout 268 from under the old column.-   2) Cut the four bolts 263 attaching the old column to the floor.-   3) Unscrew the bolts 255 at the top of the old column from the beam    264 and remove the old column.

While particular embodiments and/or individual features of the presentinvention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious tothose skilled in the art that various other changes and modificationscan be made without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention. Further, it should be apparent that all combinations of suchembodiments and features are possible and can result in preferredexecutions of the invention. Therefore, the appended claims are intendedto cover all such changes and modifications that are within the scope ofthis invention.

1. A method for configuring a flexible manufacturing system forproducing disposable articles in relation to a surface on which theflexible manufacturing system is located, the flexible manufacturingsystem comprising a plurality of operational units for forming thedisposable articles, a central computer for providing a reference signalto synchronize said operational units, an electrical power system fordriving said operational units, and a utility system for supplying atleast one utility to said operational units, said method comprising thesteps of: 1) providing a first feature section, said first featuresection comprising at least one first feature module including at leastone first feature operational unit, and at least one first feature localcontroller housed in a first standard control panel for controlling saidat least one first feature operational unit, said at least one firstfeature module being connected to said electrical power system and tosaid utility system, said at least one first feature module beingcapable of receiving at least one lifting mechanism; 2) providing asecond feature section, said second feature section comprising at leastone second feature module including at least one second featureoperational unit, and at least one second feature local controllerhoused in a second standard control panel for controlling said at leastone second feature operational unit and a second feature operatorinterface capable of providing a change in said disposable articles,said at least one second feature module being adjacent and connected tosaid at least one first feature module, said electrical power system andto said utility system, said at least one second feature module beingcapable of receiving at least one lifting mechanism; 3) providing athird feature section being capable of being attached to at least one ofsaid first feature section, said third feature section comprising atleast one third feature module including at least one third featureoperational unit, said at least one third feature module being capableof being connected to said at least one said second feature module, saidelectrical power system and to said utility system, said at least onethird feature module being capable of accepting at least one liftingmechanism; 4) positioning said at least one lifting mechanism under saidat least one first feature module on said surface; 5) disconnecting saidelectric power system and said utility system from said at least one ofsaid first feature module; 6) detaching said at least one first featuremodule from said at least one second feature module; 7) providingcompressed fluid to said at least one lifting mechanism for creating acushion of compressed fluid between said at least one lifting mechanismand said surface so as to lift said at least one first feature moduleabove said surface; 8) moving said at least one first feature module outof said flexible manufacturing system so as to provide a vacant space;9) positioning at least one lifting mechanism under said at least onethird feature module on said surface; 10) providing compressed fluid tosaid at least one lifting mechanism for creating a cushion of compressedfluid between said at least one lifting mechanism and said surface so asto lift said at least one third feature module above said surface; 11)moving said at least one third feature module into a position where itcan be attached to said flexible manufacturing system; 12) attachingsaid at least one third feature module to said at least one secondfeature module; and 13) connecting said at least one third featuremodule to said electrical power system and said fluid utilities system.2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: 14)reconfiguring said first standard control panel to operate as a thirdfeature local controller for controlling said at least one third featureoperational unit.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said third featuresection further comprises a third feature control panel for driving saidat least one third feature operational unit, and the method furthercomprising the steps of: 15) disconnecting at least one said firstfeature control panel and second feature control panel from saidflexible manufacturing system; and 16) connecting said third featurecontrol panel to said flexible manufacturing system.
 4. The method ofclaim 1 wherein said third feature section includes at least oneadhesive applicator, said method further comprising the step ofproviding an adhesive supply hose for supplying an adhesive to saidadhesive applicator.